


Who Do You Think You Are

by elfinder



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Glee, klaine - Fandom
Genre: AU, Cross Over, Drama, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:12:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 146,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13759926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elfinder/pseuds/elfinder
Summary: Blaine Anderson is preparing to embark on a new solo chapter of his life: entering college. To those around him, he might appear to be just another ordinary eighteen-year-old, but when his loving parents are none other than the Doctor--Earth's constant saviour and last of the Time Lords--and River Song--a human weapon who defied destiny and fell in love with her target--nothing could be further from the truth. Between the pressure that comes with having such a family legacy to live up to, and the stress of keeping so many secrets from everyone he knows, it's no wonder that Blaine has sworn off relationships. Yet on his first day at the Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts, Blaine meets Kurt Hummel and immediately feels drawn to him, challenging his convictions. Suddenly, surviving the wait until Blaine can join his parents in the TARDIS after graduation is the least of his worries.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Right off the bat I want to say that you don't need to be familiar or have seen any episodes of Doctor Who to understand and follow this story. But those who have I hope will enjoy the references and nods I've included. ;)
> 
> This story has been a long time in the making, five years to be exact. I started writing in 2013 and then it was shelved for other projects. Years later the desire to finish and get it posted became my top priority. 
> 
> It's hard to remember exactly when I got the idea for this story, but it was one I instantly loved and ran with. I wanted to write a different take on a Klaine Doctor Who AU and have it be where neither Kurt nor Blaine was the Doctor (there are so many awesome stories of that type out there already) but where Blaine is the son of the Eleventh Doctor and River. Making it a cross over of a different kind that's more about Blaine's life on earth about him meeting Kurt. 
> 
> Though it should be noted while I am a Doctor Who fan I am not an all knowing one. So if any details about the verse is incorrect I apologize but hopefully it won't diminish the story. I figure it's an AU anyway so it doesn't need to be exact lol. 
> 
> As far as the Doctor Who part goes, this story basically follows DW canon up to the episode 'The Angels Take Manhattan'. From there on it takes an AU turn as you will discover once you read it. 
> 
> Big thanks much be given to my amazing beta for this story, fearlessly, who has stuck it out for me for the year and a half it took to edit this story. I couldn't have done it without them! 
> 
> The story is fully edited, so this won't be your average WIP. The plan is to post an update weekly on every Friday. The first post was an early preview so following chapters will be posted each Friday.

Who Do You Think You Are?  
by elfinder

 

Prologue

Going off to college was a right of passage many eighteen-year-olds anxiously waited for, and Blaine Anderson was no different. He couldn't wait to start this new chapter of his life, one where he wouldn't be living under his parents’ roof. Not that he had any reason to want to get away from his family. Blaine in fact was very close with his parents and he doubted that would ever change--no matter where his life took him.

The proof of just how deep the Anderson family's bond ran was very visible when Blaine looked over at the pair of tearful adults on his right. Blaine smiled at them warmly; he was touched but honestly, their separation anxiety was a bit much.

Blaine rolled his eyes at the sight of them. “Oh, come now you two! It's not like this is the end of the world. We'll see each other loads! I mean, I'm going to college--not to war.”

Blaine's father, who was tall, lanky and had light brown hair with a few silver streaks, rushed up to give his son a tackling hug. “I am going to miss you so much, son,” he choked.

“I'm not even going anywhere Dad, I'm staying right here in Cambridge, so we'll still see each all the time,” Blaine said with a reassuring smile.

“I still cannot believe that my little boy is all grown up and heading off to college!”

As tight as his dad’s grip was, Blaine knew that he would eventually let go, so all he could do was wait it out. 

“I'll be fine and so will you. The future doesn't need to be scary Dad, even when you can't skip ahead.” 

His dad beamed at him with pride as he pulled back to cuff Blaine's shoulder. “Of course you'll be fine Blaine, you're a chip off the old block. It’s not you I’m worried about, it’s your mother and me. I can barely remember what our lives were like before you were born, Blaine.” 

“Blaine will do just fine on his own, sweetie.” His wife said as she joined them. Mrs. Anderson’s bright hazel eyes were filled with cleverness, while her hair was an unconstrained nest of springy blonde curls. “He is my son after-all, and as you know, I was off having my own adventures at a far younger age.” 

Mr. Anderson’s brows furrowed together with worry. “Actually, my dear...” He paused to nervously scratch the bottom of chin. “That is exactly what I am most afraid of.” 

The familiar sounds of his parents playful banter faded into the background as Blaine’s thoughts turned to the future. Once tomorrow came, Blaine would no longer wake up to the sound of his father humming to himself as he cooked breakfast. There would be no more afternoons full of Blaine intently listening to his ramblings, where his dad rarely kept to one subject and went on straight to another without going back to the original. He’d miss mom’s counter comments, and how she would add her own side of the story, and before they all knew it, Blaine would become lost in his parents’ chronicles. And that was what Blaine would miss the most: the stories. He had grown up hearing about the most outlandish tales imaginable from his parents, who both had a knack for storytelling. 

“Blaine, where have you gone off to, my boy?” Blaine's dad called to him.

Blinking, Blaine smiled and replied, “Sorry. Still with you.” 

“Not for much longer,” His mom said, crossing her arms over her chest as she eyed him. 

As always, Mrs. Anderson’s comment was right on point, and Blaine--per usual--agreed with her completely. It _was_ time for them to get a move on, so they all could move on with their lives. 

“Come on,” Blaine said, grinning as he tapped on his wrist watch. “I’m not the only one who’s setting out on their own today.” Blaine had to push (albeit gently) his mom and dad by the shoulders to get them going. “It’s time you two regain some of the freedom you lost when you settled down to raise me.” 

Now Mr. Anderson was the one to roll his eyes. “We didn’t give up anything in raising you, Blaine.” 

“And even if we had, your father and I gained so much more in return,” Mrs. Anderson added with an all knowing nod. 

“Although I must admit, it will be good to broaden our horizons a bit. Go visit some of my old haunts, check up on old friends, and--knowing how things go for me--give these stiff old legs of mine a good run.” Beaming with pride, Mr. Anderson placed a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “I'd say ‘make us proud, son' but there is honestly no need for that--since you should know how proud we are of you already.” It was true, Blaine had heard his dad say those very words no less than five times in the last two days. 

Mr. Anderson suddenly began to stretch his arms, as if he were trying to flex some of his tired muscles, which had grown stiff over time. But it was more likely due to his tendency to never remain in one spot for very long; he was always on the move--and having a child hadn't put a stop to that one bit.

“I suppose all that's left is the big send off, eh?” Mr. Anderson said.

Blaine nodded in agreement. “You've sure kept her waiting long enough.”

Mr. Anderson laughed, “Oh, don't I know it!”

One would think that the 'her' Blaine and his dad were referring to would be Mrs. Anderson--the only female in the room--but neither son nor father were looking her way at all. But, she (along with her family) had turned in unison to look at the strange structure behind them. No one seemed the least bit alarmed at the sight of it either.

Mr. Anderson's smile was the brightest among them and it was as if he was seeing an old friend after a very long time. He stepped up to structure, laid a hand upon its wooden surface and stroked it in an almost loving fashion. His wife showed no signs of confusion (or jealousy) as he continued to caress what appeared to be a blue phone booth. As in the ones that people used to see on the street before cellphones had come into use. Except that _police_ was written across the front, dating if even further back than that. It was the Tardis, which stood for ‘Time and Relative Dimension in Space’, and its earthly appearance was thanks to a (stuck) chameleon circuit to make it blend in better. 

Mr. Anderson used his free hand to reach inside of his jacket; soon a sharp clicking sound followed. Without warning, he was enveloped in a blinding surge of white energy and the years on his weathered face began to melt away: gone was the silver in his hair, and the laugh lines around his eyes--leaving a man who looked twenty years younger than he had been minutes ago.

Just like with their reaction to the blue box in front of them, Blaine and Mrs. Anderson showed no visible surprise to what had just happened. 

With a warm smile, Mrs. Anderson circled around her husband, eying him up and down with an approving glint in her eyes. Next she reached out to clasp the sides of his smooth face, grinning as she gave him an approving nod. “Now that's the man I fell in love with.” 

Mr. Anderson straightened his bow-tie smugly and said, “He never left, well, not really and not for very long.”

After stopping to reaffirm his devotion to his wife by kissing her on the cheek, Mr. Anderson turned to face the blue box and touched it again. “Hello there... sexy...”

Blaine rolled his eyes; unfortunately for him he'd inherited his father's good hearing so there was no chance missing his quiet whispers. He watched as his dad brought out his keys and used the largest one to unlock the door. He held his breath as his dad swung the doors open to reveal a vast space inside that spanned far beyond the outside circumference of the box.

Mrs. Anderson didn’t follower her husband in. Instead, she turned to son, who was staring at the structure with wide-eyed longing. “Soon love, soon,” she cooed. “I know it feels like ages from now but you’ll be able to join us out there soon enough.” 

“I'm almost tempted to have a look inside, but I’m afraid I won’t want to come back out if I were to.” As much as Blaine was looking forward to college, there was still a part of him who wanted to leave it all behind and experience the wonders that were out there just waiting for him to discover. 

Blaine watched his dad busily whirl around inside the box, which was somehow bigger on the inside, turning buttons and levers. What would it be like? To be galavanting out in space as one of his dad’s companions? It would be dangerous for sure; he’d heard enough stories to know it wasn’t all just fun and games, but oh how it would be worth it in the end! What Blaine wouldn’t give to be able to see it with his own eyes. But no, he couldn’t, not yet anyway, so he would just need to patiently wait for when he could finally explore the universe alongside them. 

His job apparently finished, Mr. Anderson darted back into Blaine’s new flat, full of spirit and grinning from ear to ear as he rushed towards his son. “Oh my dear Blainey, boy! I know exactly what you’re thinking. You are my son after-all, as well as your mother's!” He paused to give Blaine a tackling hug; nearly crushing him with his long lanky arms. 

“I’ll be alright,” Blaine managed to choke out. 

“Of course you will! It’s all right here.” Mr. Anderson tapped a finger on Blaine’s chest. “It’s in your genes Blaine; all of your talent, your compassion for life, your drive to succeed--everything that makes you who you are--and what you are Blaine, is someone truly special. You are one of a kind, and your mother and I have always wanted you to know both parts of your heritage.” 

With a subtle nudge, Mr. Anderson turned himself and his son around to face the blue box that was in the room sticking out like a sore thumb. “So try to think of the next four years as the final chapters of your normal human life, son. You may not have realized, but I have often envied the inhabitants of this planet as they’re off living their own lives eating chips, learning, loving, and going to work so they can pay off their mortgages! Blimey! I could barely even imagine what that must be like, that is, until you came along and gave me the chance. Before that… well… I had only ever gotten small tastes of seeing how humanity lives; I was always on the move, never settling for long… and ultimately always ending up alone because of it.” 

Blaine blushed from his father’s praises, but it was better than getting all teary-eyed, he supposed. 

“For the past fifteen years--” 

“Eighteen years,” Blaine and Mrs. Anderson corrected at the same time.

“Yes right, the past eighteen years have been quite the ride but between all three of us, I wouldn't have given it up for anything, not even for all the adventures in the cosmos,” Mr. Anderson said.

Blaine knew this could go on forever at this rate, because once his dad got going… It could take them all night to say goodbye--or worse, all day as well. 

“Dad,” Blaine began, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I’m touched, but one of us really needs to get the Tardis out of my living room before anyone notices and if you and mum don’t get a move on, then it’s going to fall to me…” His threat was a total bluff, which he made obvious by his smirking face, just in case his dad didn’t realize (sarcasm wasn’t his strong suit). 

Whether he bought it or not--because Blaine couldn’t tell from his little frown in response--Mr. Anderson took his son’s warning to heart and thrust his fingers in the air and snapped them. The door to the blue police box swung open again immediately following the fancy move. 

Chuckling, Blaine shook his head at his dad’s silly antics. _‘Oh, he’s just showing off for the hell of it now.’_ But Blaine didn’t say anything; his dad deserved a chance to strut his stuff. 

“Be good now, mind your manners and stay safe, or you'll age me with worry,” Blaine said, like he was the adult among them.

“Look at you! Here stands the prince of time and he's sassing his parents!” his dad said, laughing with delight and he’d even gone so far to use Blaine’s childhood nickname!

Blaine swept his parents up for big final hug goodbye. “I love you so much. Thank you for everything you've done and will continue to do for me. I'm seriously the luckiest kid in the world!”

“You are my biggest treasure, Blaine. I didn't think I'd ever want a family again--that I wouldn't miss it. I guess this just proves that even Time Lords can be wrong,” said Mr. Anderson, who hadn’t let go of Blaine yet.

Mrs. Anderson threw her hands up into the air. “Oh, look at the both of you, making me cry. There goes my bad girl reputation,” she sobbed.

“That's just one of the many reasons why I love you, dear,” Mr. Anderson said, kissing her on the cheek.

“What's the biggest reason then?” Mrs. Anderson asked.

Blaine groaned, “Please save your flirtations for the road!”

The temptation to throw caution (or rather--common sense) to the wind and just run inside of the Tardis was still within Blaine, but he managed to hold his ground. This was his parents’ time, not his. Mum was right, what was another four years? Blaine watched his parents head inside the Tardis and gave them one final exuberant wave before the doors closed behind them. He held his smile as an odd wheezing sound filled the room; how long had it been since he’d last heard that? In the beginning, his parents had tried very hard to keep their son from ever hearing the iconic noise. Their plan had worked for nearly ten years before Blaine had opened the garden tool shed and had found their biggest secret. 

The Tardis flickered back and forth into view, until it finally vanished all together without leaving a single trace behind. 

Blaine let out a tired sigh; there, he was alone at last and left to his own devices--which meant unpacking his belongings. He sat down to it; luckily Blaine was an orderly person so it saved him a lot of time--and backache. It only took him four hours to get everything in basic order, and Blaine sat down on his new couch with a celebratory cup of tea in hand after a job well done. 

Tomorrow was a new day, and while college life might not be the most exciting thing in the world to face, he was still very much looking forward to it. After all, singing was just another form of storytelling. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Who Do You Think You Are?  
by elfinder

 

Chapter One

At first glance, Cambridge, a university city located in the county town of Cambridgeshire, England, appeared to be as normal as any place. For the most part it was. Save for one little corner where the 'Andersons' resided. If someone were to ask any of their neighbours about them, they would get a wide array of answers; but, there was one word that tended to pop up the most: odd. John Anderson, his wife Melody, and their teenage son Blaine were all well known around the block. For all of their oddness, they were well liked and this said a lot considering some of the more questionable events that transpired around their home.

Blaine had never cared much about the opinion of others, or at least not when it came to his parents. From his perspective, what others thought was weird, Blaine saw as the norm. And in any case, Blaine's mum and dad didn't need their son to protect their reputation either. They could take care of themselves and they had, for many years before Blaine had come along.

When Blaine looked at his dad, he didn’t see him as the ‘Oncoming Storm,’ a legacy who was well over a thousand years old, who had had eleven different faces, and who had been to the ends of the universe and back. To Blaine, the Doctor was John Anderson: dad, who was wise and caring and who often acted as young an innocent as his son. Blaine's memories of his dad consisted of them running around pretending to be pirates, building tents out of bed sheets, and scary bedtime stories, complete with silly voices and sound effects.

The same could be said about his mother; to Blaine, Melody Anderson wasn't River Song, the cunning psychopath who'd once been imprisoned for killing non other than the Doctor. Nor was she a mysterious archaeologist who kept appearing in the Doctor's life backwards to front. She had always been plain old mum to him; loving and witty mum, who chided him when he got too rowdy, but also encourage all of his hopes and dreams. She always seemed to know what he was up to; not even her husband could pull the wool over her eyes. Blaine's mother had showered him with love, hugged him, and sung him to sleep at night. He cherished his childhood memories with her so dearly; baking cookies, going to the theatre, dancing together, and playing dress up were just a few of the fondest memories he had of his mum.

So what if Blaine's parents were far from regular people, it sure hadn't negatively affected Blaine's life in the least. It was quite the contrary actually, as far as Blaine was concerned. Of course, he doubted other boys his age had gotten a real life miniature dinosaur for his six birthday. Melody had insisted that John send it back where it had come from, because it was hardly a suitable gift. At first Blaine had been oblivious to the differences that set his parents apart from those around him. But then, as Blaine's sharp young mind had started to grow, he'd begun to pick up on things. Little clues that revealed his mom and dad's true identities.

Unfortunately for them, this had brought on Blaine asking his parents many questions. But those innocent queries eventually went from asking ‘why is the sky blue’ to ‘what’s that funny blue box in the shed?’ Then finally the truth was revealed to Blaine and he learned that his parents weren’t from Leadworth (a tiny little town with next to nothing) like he had been lead to believe. Strictly speaking, neither of them were even from earth at all! It was hard for Blaine to wrap his head around at first but he quickly accepted the fact and agreed to help keep his family’s secrets hidden. 

Blaine’s current location was standing in front of the main building of the 'Cambridge School of the Visual and Performing Arts' (or 'CSVPA' as it was also commonly known). Deep down Blaine knew he would be fine but the fear that he'd inherited his dad's knack for finding trouble wherever he went refused to go away!

“Hurry up Blaine, or we'll lose you,” a voice called to Blaine, snapping him out of his daze.

Blaine turned his attention away from his thoughts and redirected them towards the two teenagers who were standing a short distance away. One of them was a well built young man and the other an equally attractive woman. The pair had matching blonde hair--but they didn't look remotely related, which was a good thing, considering how they were boyfriend and girlfriend. The couple waved at Blaine, who hurried over their way with a sheepish grin. Brittany and Sam were Blaine's best friends since as far back as grade school and nobody (save for his family) knew him better. “I'm right behind you!”

Sam Evans cuffed Blaine on the shoulder when he finally caught up to them. “'Bout time Blaine, I thought you were going to make a run for it or something.”

Blaine rolled his eyes, though Sam was clearly joking. “I said I'd come and help you two move into the dorms and Blaine Anderson keeps his word.”

“That you do, mate,” Sam agreed, laughing as they started on their merry way again. “I guess all of us can't be so lucky as to live off campus like you, Blaine. I still dunno how you managed to pull that off.” 

“Isn’t it obvious, Sam? Blaine's dad is a secret agent,” Brittany S. Pierce said beside them. “I bet he even has royal connections.”

It wasn't difficult for Blaine to keep himself from reacting to Brittany's claims; he'd lost track of the times she'd been nearly right about his family. But thankfully nothing ever came of her weirdly accurate comments. Blaine still felt the need to explain himself though, just to be safe. “I told you, we are allowed to live off campus in special circumstances,” Blaine said. _'Which was made possible thanks to dad's' physic paper,'_ Blaine thought to himself. Oh what he wouldn't give to have one of his own, but his dad had conveniently said he had forgotten where he’d gotten his from.

“Well Britt and I don't have that luxury, so we’re destined for the dorm life,” Sam said.

“I am helping you move in remember, so that has to amount for something,” Blaine pointed out, grinning. 

True to his word, Blaine made sure to pull more than his own weight when they moved Brittany's and Sam's belongings into their respective dorm rooms. While they were in the same building, they ended up being at opposite sides of the hall. That doubled their workload but between the three of them it was a while before the last box was brought inside.

Blaine had just finished putting away Brittany's clothes in her new dresser and nodded approvingly at his showmanship. Even Brittany should have no trouble finding everything like this.

“All right, that only leaves hair products and makeup to go,” Blaine said aloud.

As Blaine picked up the box marked 'toiletries' he caught sight of himself in Brittany's mirror and stopped to study his appearance. It wasn't vanity that caused Blaine to abandon his work, but nervousness. He still wasn't sure if he truly looked the part of an ordinary college freshman. According to Brittany, he was 'classically handsome' which didn’t sound so bad. Though if it were up to him, Blaine would have preferred not to have inherited his mother's unruly curls. Over the years Blaine had taken to using generous amounts of gel to keep his hair in check. Although a bit of a hassle, Blaine's hair did compliment his hazel eyes at least. As for his body, well… Blaine liked to think he was in decent enough shape. He might not have abs like Sam but he kept his waist trim enough so there was no noticeable paunch. 

In spite of Blaine’s apparent good looks, his romantic life was basically non existent. There were a number of reasons for this though, one being that Blaine often received attention from the female gender. Dating was scary enough for anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, but in Blaine’s case, it was downright terrifying. Who in their right mind would want to fall in love with someone they couldn’t grow old with? By his dad’s recognizing, Blaine would probably stop physically aging when he reached thirty, so he’d chosen not to bother with dating. 

Sam walked in to find no sign of Brittany, just Blaine staring at his reflection. “Uh Blaine, what you doing there, mate?”

While he was slightly embarrassed by his actions, Blaine knew better than to lie and face Sam’s teasing wrath. “I was trying to see if I'm dreamy or not.” 

“Are you not getting hit on enough for you to know it yourself?” Sam asked, smirking. 

“What are we talking about?” Brittany asked as she entered the room.

“About how Blaine can't get any dates,” Sam answered. “Which is his own fault really.” 

“I’m just not dating right now, that’s all.” Blaine crossed his arms over his chest; so much for hoping his friends would leave him be. 

Brittany frowned in confusion. “Have your parents forbidden you from dating or something, Blainey?” 

“What’s wrong with wanting to focus on my studies?” Blaine asked, for what felt like the hundredth time. 

“Nothing, except that you’ve been saying that since you were fourteen.” Sam patted Blaine on the shoulder lightly. “We just want you to be happy, Blaine.” 

Blaine forced himself to relax, exhaling a large breath as he released the tension in his shoulders. “We’ve been through this before; I’m planning to do a lot of travelling once I graduate, so I don’t see any point in dating in the meantime.” 

Now as long as Blaine could resist the handsome temptations that being in a performing arts school should bring then he would be fine. Blaine wasn’t worried; he was far too much of a romantic to sleep around or even just date casually. 

“But what if you meet someone you really like Blaine, someone cute?” Brittany asked.

Blaine shrugged. “I’ll worry about it if and when it happens, but I seriously doubt it will. I’ll be far too busy to notice cute guys, Britt.” 

“I’d be more worried about this new American accent of yours than your grades, Blaine.” Sam shook his head. “I still dunno where you got the idea from. I mean, you’re as British as we are, so why hide it?”If only Sam could know the truth about Blaine’s new manner of speaking and how it wasn’t intentionally done, but it just wasn’t possible. 

It had been gradual at first, until finally one day Blaine had woken up to realize he didn’t sound British anymore. His new accent wasn’t exactly America though, it sounded more generic to him, as if it were a mix of the various countries that spoke English as their first language. There was no distinction to it, no hint of its origin either, so Blaine had gone straight to his dad, who turned out to be just as perplexed as his son (which was new). 

Even after the Doctor had spent four months searching for possible answers, he hadn’t found a single lead--only theories with no real fact to back any of them up. The best one being that it had something to do with Blaine’s mix of DNA confusing the Tardis’ translator matrix. With no explanation--or solution--in sight, Blaine had at first tried to fight it and force himself to speak like he used to, but that didn’t work so well. All it would take was for Blaine to lose his concentration for even a second and he’d revert back. The strain it put on him wasn’t fun either, so in the end he’d decided to try to live with it and try come up with a believable reason. 

Blaine sighed heavily; at least he didn’t have to hide his frustration from Sam. “Haven’t we been through this already? I thought it would add an air of mystery.” His friend kept eying him suspiciously, so Blaine added, “What’s wrong with wanting to sound more unique?” It was hardly solid reasoning, but it was the best Blaine had to go with--all he needed to do now was really sell it. 

“If you say so, Blaine,” Sam said finally, the doubtful tone of his voice still lingering. 

If Blaine couldn’t convince his best friends that he wasn’t going mad then what hope did he have with anyone else. 

“Besides…” Blaine puffed up his chest as he placed his hands on his hips. “I can still talk like a proper Brit whenever I want to.” Though it did take him a great deal of effort to do so, but neither Sam nor Brittany needed to know this. 

Frowning at the boys, Brittany said, “That doesn’t sound like me at all.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

An inconspicuous looking taxi cab pulled up to a roadside in Cambridge, which was a regular sight at this time of year in the surrounding area. Once parked, the passenger door opened and a pair of long legs covered in skinny jeans swung out and touched the sidewalk. A young man stepped out of the vehicle and scanned the area around him before going over to fetch his luggage and pay the driver. 

As the cab drove away, the young man, who was wearing a purple printed button down shirt with navy check vest over top, turned around. At first glance, the building didn’t look like very much; it was just another red brick house amongst countless others. Yes, this was the place all right. Not that Kurt had doubted the cab driver’s abilities, it was just hard to believe Kurt was in a different country! Even when he’d only just arrived, Kurt could already tell that Lima, Ohio was a far cry from Cambridge, England (aka his new home away from home). 

“Carlyle Lodge I presume?” Kurt asked in a clumsy British accent, but thankfully no one was around to hear it. 

Kurt took a deep breath and forced his shaking hands to pick up his luggage, climbing the white steps on exhale. Okay there, he was at the front door finally, but now what? Should Kurt knock or should he just let himself in? This part hadn’t been covered in his college introduction package. 

_‘I’m being ridiculous,’_ Kurt thought, reaching for the doorknob, which turned open with ease. 

He pushed the door and poked his head inside. There was no sign of anyone inside from what Kurt could see. Where were the twelve other students who were supposed to live here? It was possible they hadn’t arrived yet, but there should be someone here though. 

“Hello?” Kurt called out. “Is anyone there?” He stepped fully inside and closed the door behind him. 

A man with blond hair and a charming smile appeared from a corner. “You rang?” 

Kurt breathed, “Oh good. For a second there I thought I was in the wrong house.” It didn’t take long to realize how attractive the man was. 

“I assume you’re looking for Carlyle Lodge?” The man asked. Kurt nodded and he grinned. “Then you are in the right place. You’re a little early, so you caught be a bit off guard; I wasn’t expecting you to arrive for another hour. But now that you are here, allow me to be the first to welcome you to your new home.” He was taller than Kurt and most likely a few years older than him too, and then there was that delicious accent of his. Kurt tried his best not blush. It was going to take a while for Kurt to get used to hearing attractive men speaking like that all the time now. “I'm Adam Crawford by the way; the Lodge's RA. So please come to me with anything you might need here.”

Kurt smiled shyly back at him. “Thanks.” Adam held out his hand and he shook it. “I’ll do that.” He suddenly realized he was still holding onto his hand and dropped it. “I’m Kurt Hummel.” 

“Then that makes you one of the two yanks we have this year at the lodge--though your accent told me that already.” 

“Yes, I’m from Ohio,” Kurt said. 

“I’ll introduce you to the other American staying here at the end of your tour Kurt, which begins right now.” Adam bent down to take one of Kurt’s suitcases before he could protest and started down the hallway. “This way please.” 

The short hallway entrance led to what Kurt assumed was the lounge/conservatory area he had seen on the Lodge’s PDF file. There was a large flat screen TV with two couches and two matching arm chairs surrounding it with the coffee table between them.

“Here we have the lounge. We have basic cable, as well as numerous consoles provided by various lodgers staying here. You’re welcome to come use the area whenever you like of course, but I should warn you that it gets rather rowdy here when a match is on,” Adam explained. 

“I can imagine,” Kurt began, stopping himself. “Or actually, I can’t really imagine it.” His experience with sports basically started and stopped with his dad watching games at home. He could have left it at that, but Kurt saw an opportunity too good to pass up. “Call it a gay cliche, but I’m about as far from a sports fan as you can get.” 

“Well, speaking as a fellow gay man, I didn’t see the appeal at first myself either but it can grow on you,” Adam replied matter-of-factly. 

Kurt’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re gay too?” 

“I am.” Adam picked up Kurt’s luggage again and started off. “We’re not even the only ones staying at the Lodge who are.” 

The tour continued on and Kurt was quickly convinced that choosing Carlyle over the less costly but more crowded Master house had been a good choice. It sure beat any college dorm Kurt had ever seen when he’d looked at his school choices back home. Adam brought Kurt to the kitchen next and to his relief, it didn’t look half as small as it did in the photos. There was ample seating space too, both at the counter and at a nearby table in the adjoined dining area. 

“Well, it's no Grantham Estate but Carlyle Lodge is still quite homely looking,” Kurt announced, smiling in approval.

Adam raised a quizzical brow at him, his charming smile still remaining. “Are you a fan of Downton Abbey, Kurt?”

“Isn't everyone?”

That got a laugh from Adam, as well as a pat on the shoulder. “I think you’ll fit right in here.” 

“I sure hope so.” Kurt sighed in relief. He didn’t think he could have handled being a social outcast all over again, so Adam’s words of assurance were music to Kurt’s ears.

The two men headed upstairs next and Kurt listened intently as Adam shared interesting facts about the Lodge and its residents since he’d been living there. Another reason Kurt had chosen Carlyle Lodge was because it reminded him a little of Downton Abbey. Though now that he has seen it in person he realize there wasn’t much resemblance between the two. But comparing a rich manor house to a lodge used to house college students was hardly fair. 

Kurt still loved it though, especially the little courtyard he’d passed by when he’d arrived. He couldn’t wait to take a proper look at it. Maybe Kurt should ask Adam to? He bet it had quite a romantic atmosphere at night. 

_‘What am I even thinking?’_ He had barely been here for twenty minutes and he was already having romantic thoughts about his RA? _‘Way to act mature, Kurt.’_ Who knew if he was even Adam’s type, or if he was single for that matter. 

“That’s the first floor then. I’ll show you your room next, Kurt.” Adam headed towards the stairs next with Kurt following behind him. 

Carlyle Lodge had ten single rooms and three doubles, and Kurt, who valued his privacy, had opted for a single, which he had miraculously gotten. Adam passed by three closed doors before finally stopping in front of the fourth one. 

“This is you, Kurt. Good old number nine.” Adam reached inside his pocket, brought out a key and placed it into Kurt’s hand. “I’ve got a spare if need but try not to lose yours if you can.” 

Kurt used the key to open the door, leaving his luggage in the hallway while he stepped inside to have a good look around. The task didn’t take him very long though; it was rather a small space but not too bad by dorm room standards. He was confident with a little work and some personal touches Kurt could turn the room into something to be proud of. Holding all of the clothes he’d brought along would be another matter though… 

“I like it,” Kurt said, grinning as he turned back to the door. “Not a lot of closet space but I think I can make it work.” 

“Everything you’ll need to know is in the welcome package you’ll find on your desk there. If you have any further questions you’re always welcome to call me; my number’s in the package.” 

Kurt nodded as he brought his luggage inside. He loved how each of the rooms had their own ensuite bathroom, though there was no shower, as those were shared, but he was confident he’d worry about that hurdle when it came time to jump it. 

“Are you ready to meet your first dorm mate aside from me?” Adam asked. 

“Sure. I mean, what have I got to lose right?” Kurt didn’t really have any close friends back home, and he was eager for that to change. 

Their destination ended up being a short walk down to the opposite side of the hall; Adam stopped and knocked on the frame of the open door.

“I’ve got someone here for you to meet Quinn, a fellow American,” Adam called. 

A pretty young woman with shoulder length blonde hair came to the door, her smile wasn’t overly warm but friendly enough. 

“Hi, um…” Kurt might want to make new friends but gathering enough courage to was another matter. “My name’s Kurt Hummel. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“Quinn Fabray.” She didn’t offer her hand to shake. 

“It’s nice to meet someone who’s not from here like me. I was worried I’d be the only American in the Lodge,” Kurt said. “Not like that would have been a bad thing!” He quickly added, blushing at Adam, who merely waved the potentially embarrassing comment off. 

Adam opened his mouth to say something, but then they heard the doorbell ring from downstairs. “Duty calls! That will be another new arrival; we have six freshmen this year! Which is a record! Anyway, I’ll be downstairs if either of you need me!” Adam called and he darted down the hallway. 

Kurt tried to think of something to talk about now that he and Quinn were alone. He decided to start with the one thing he knew they had in common. “So Quinn, where are you from?” 

“Seattle. What about you?” Quinn answered. 

“Ohio, unfortunately.”

Quinn narrowed her eyes as she studied Kurt for a moment. She was nearly impossible to read; her emotional walls were that strong. “That must have been tough for you.” 

_‘What does she mean by that?’_ Kurt fought to keep his polite smile in place. Had she guessed he was gay already? Was it that obvious? It was possible; people back home had been able to guess even though he’d tried his best to hide it. But things were different now; Kurt was out, so what did it matter really? “Is it that obvious?” Kurt asked. 

Quinn’s smile softened. “Only because I noticed you checking out Adam’s ass as he ran down the hallway.” 

“Oh? Did I? I didn’t even realize.” In truth Kurt had, it was hard not to notice a butt as nice as Adam’s--but it had only been a fleeting glance. “I’ll have to be mindful of that.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. We’re going to a performing arts school after all.” 

Kurt’s eyes lit up. “That’s what I said!” They laughed together for a moment. “I didn’t come out until recently… so it’s still new for me. I’m looking forward to what Cambridge has to offer--” Kurt’s cheeks flushed red when he realized what he had just said. “I mean, on the whole… scholastically and everything.” He let out a heavy sigh; he was just making things worse. “As for romance… well, I guess I’ll have to wait and see.” 

For some unknown reason, Quinn’s cool demeanor began to thaw from Kurt’s awkwardness (or so he gathered, judging by her loosening posture and relaxed smile) and she even ushered him into her room. Quinn took a seat on her bed and invited Kurt to join her, which he quickly accepted, though he minded to keep enough distance between them. 

“Why did you decided to come to England for college, Kurt?” Quinn asked. 

“Oh, well, let’s see; there’s a bunch of reasons actually. I wanted to go to a school that had a good musical theatre program for one thing.” But there were plenty of those back in the US of course. “But the biggest reason is probably because I wanted a change of scenery. I don’t really have any good memories from school in Lima--other than my family, so I figured going all the way to England could give me the new start on life I really need.” 

Quinn nodded. “I came here for similar reasons.” Her arms were neatly folded in her lap. “To have a fresh start and hopefully learn to value myself a little better in the process.”

“Well, here’s to new beginnings and better futures,” Kurt said, holding out his hand to her. Quinn didn’t hesitate to shake it and offer him a warm smile. Her hands were so soft; he would have to ask her what moisturizer she used. 

“Is it too early to think that you and I could become friends, Quinn?”

“It would be nice to have a friend who’s going through the same culture shock as me.” 

“I know what you mean. It’s so weird how people drive on the other side of the road here! Can you even imagine how hard it would be to try to drive like that?” Kurt shuddered at the thought. 

“It’s going to take some getting used to that’s for sure,” Quinn said, pausing for a moment, but just before Kurt was about to politely excuse himself, she added, “Maybe we can travel together on orientation day? We’re less likely to get lost on the way if there’s two of us.” 

“I’d like that, and maybe we can explore the campus and what’s around town afterwards?” There was plenty of things Kurt needed to shop for: decorations for him room, snacks that could only be found in England and he wanted to buy some proper British tea as well. 

They chatted awhile about how each of their journeys to Cambridge had gone, as well as more casual things like their taste in music, favourite movies, and current fashion trends. As they talked, Kurt began to see that while she wasn’t the most talkative person at first, Quinn seemed to be enjoying his company. Her smile was beautiful, and her musical laughter was a true delight to hear. Kurt was glad to have made a new friend who he could brave this new foreign land with. 

Eventually Kurt admitted he should go start unpacking and took his leave, heading back to his room and his awaiting luggage. It didn’t take him very long to put everything in its rightful place; he’d packed as light as possible. He’d mostly brought clothes along with him. At first he had tried to bring his entire wardrobe, but his dad had pointed out that bringing three suitcases full of clothes might be overdoing it. So he’d left half of his clothes behind, choosing his favourites and most flattering attire to bring along with him. 

Kurt surveyed his handiwork with his hands on his hips; his room still looked a little on the sparse side but it was early days yet. There would be plenty of time (four years in fact) to fill it with whatever might catch his eye. As much as Kurt was raring to go shopping, he was fine to leave it for another day. The long flight and subsequent cab drive to Carlyle had left him feeling very drained. 

“I’m actually here. I made it. This isn’t a dream,” Kurt whispered to himself, still hardly believing it. He laid down on his bed, not bothering to get under the covers just yet and stared up at the white ceiling above him. 

He let out a big yawn. Maybe the reality of his situation would fully sink in tomorrow after a good night's rest.  
___________________________________________________________________________

“So Blaine, my dear boy, please tell me all about your first day of class. I want to hear every single detail,” a friendly voice asked through the speaker of Blaine's cellphone.

“Sure Grandad, but today was just orientation, so not much went on. Tomorrow is my first official day,” Blaine explained.

Brian Williams was actually Blaine’s great grandfather but considering the circumstances (like his age) it was easier to drop the great part. It was also the best way to remove the time travel element that came along with Blaine's family ties to the man. At first Blaine only knew his great grandparents by name and not much else. Whenever he asked his dad for more details the Doctor would get a sad look on his face. So Blaine had turned to his mother, who was more willing to share information about her side of the family. 

It was then, when Blaine was twelve, that he learned that not only did Brian know the Doctor’s true identity, but he had actually travelled along with Rory and Amy as his companions once! Melody had promised Blaine that he would get a chance to meet Brian once the Doctor’s and River’s timelines no longer crossed over each other. 

It had taken some convincing on River’s part to get her husband to approach Brian, and it only happened six months after Rory and Amy had been lost (to Brian at least). The Doctor had shown up at Brian’s door one day out of the blue to offer his deepest apologizes and Brian had accepted his apology right away. Not only that, but Brian had gone on to thank the Doctor for letting him known his son and daughter-in-law were safe in the past and had lived full and happy lives. 

The Doctor had barely given Brian enough time for the news to sink in before he’d announced he had a wife who happened to be Rory and Amy’s child. That had taken some explaining; time travel could be really confusing for anyone--Blaine included. Once Brian had finally understood how this was possible, he was introduced to his adult granddaughter. From the moment Brian and River had met, the pair had instantly come to adore each other. Brian transformed into a doting Grandfather and River happily soaked up the attention and dished it right back. Which was handy, because there was one more secret to reveal, meaning Blaine, who was introduced to his astounded great Grandfather shortly thereafter. 

Just with River, Brian accepted Blaine with open arms and Blaine in turn was overjoyed at gaining a family member who was just your average human. As much as he loved his parents, Brian was a welcome addition who was always good for a laugh or ready to give advice to his young great grandson. 

Sometimes Blaine found it hard to remember he had only known Brian for two years and not his entire life. 

“I see, I see.” Brian said with a nod. “Well, I know you'll do great, Blaine.” 

“That's the hope Grandad. Either way I'll be sure to tell you tomorrow how it went.”

“Why don't we give skyping a try now, Blaine? You know how your grandad likes to keep up with technology.”

Blaine laughed as he clicked on the Skype icon; he regularly watched Brian's video blogs so he knew this already. Blaine soon came face to face with Brian, who beamed at him in his usually warm and friendly manner.

“So where are River and the Doctor? Sorry, Melody and John I mean.”

“I'm not really sure where they are and I honestly don't think I’d want to know. If I did then I'd probably be envious of them.”

“Now see here Blaine, it's not so bad being an earthbound human. In fact, there was a time when Rory and Amy chose it over being the Doctor's companion,” Brian tutted. 

It was nice to hear Brian mention his son and daughter-in-law so casually and without showing any signs of grief. “You're spot on as usual Grandad, and I'll try to remember those words of wisdom from now on.”

Brian leaned closer to the computer screen and furrowed his brows at Blaine intensely. “Now what's all this about you sounding like an American all of a sudden? Your parents refuse to tell me the reason--heaven knows why,” Brian said. 

“The reason mum and dad haven't told you anything is because they don't know why it's happening! My speech pattern changed on its own! Dad says it's got something to do with the Tardis' translation circuit and my mix of human and Time Lord genes... whatever that means. My own theory is that I'm going through the Gallifreyan version of puberty. No matter how hard I try, I always revert back to sounding like this so I've given up trying.” 

Brian gave Blaine one of his quintessential 'I'll have no nonsense from you' looks. “Now, now, there's no need to get cross, Blaine; you know yourself better than anyone.”

Blaine sighed, “I'm not so sure of that.”

“I might not have any answers for you Blaine, but I do want to help you. So let's strike a deal; you'll focus on getting through college and I'll try not to fret over you or those quizzical parents of yours.”

“Now that’s a deal I’m happy to make.” Blaine grinned. “Thanks Grandad, I’ll call you tomorrow evening.” 

The day had sure whirled by; Blaine had joined Brittany and Sam for lunch once orientation was finished, then he’d gone back home to resume unpacking his things. The quietness of the apartment made him finally realize he was really living alone. He wasn’t sure if he was set out for true solitude; having no one to talk to was unnerving (and also boring). Maybe he should have stayed in a dorm like this friends? Things would be noisier for sure, but as much as Blaine wanted a thriving social life, he still needed to keep his guard up. There was just too much at stake, and there were too many secrets for him to keep. It was much easier for him to have his own place where his parents could safely visit as well. 

Blaine had just sat down to take a long deserved break when his phone got a text message. That was probably Sam inviting him to yet another wild party that Blaine had no desire to attend. He was already thinking up possible excuses when he touched his screen and saw that it wasn’t Sam at all, the text was from his mother. 

_**Hello, Honey. Your father and I are having a splendid time. We’ve been revisiting some of our favourite spots. Jim the fish says hello.** _

He had barely finished reading her text before his mom sent him another one.

_**Check under your bed darling, you'll find a surprise that your father's cooked up there. Don't worry, this one won't explode. Hugs and kisses -- Mummy Melody.** _

“What does she mean ‘look under my bed?’” Blaine muttered aloud. He’d just finished cleaning his room top to bottom, so he knew there was nothing under it. Then again, this was his parents he was talking about, so such logic didn’t apply to them. 

_I’d ask how, but knowing you two, there’s little point. I’ll go have a look._

River’s reply came back so quickly Blaine suspected she’d written it before sending her first text. 

_**That’s my clever boy. Glad to see we’ve raised you well.** _

Shaking his head with amusement, Blaine put his phone away so he could look under his bed and sure enough, there was something there. A few inches away from the edge of his bed was an innocent looking wooden box. His dad must have stashed it there when Blaine had gone to the bathroom. Blaine pulled the box out from under his bed and the first thing he noticed was that it was Tardis blue in colour. That was the Doctor’s calling card for sure. Nothing on the surface of the box gave away any clues. 

Blaine lifted the lid off of it to see what was inside. His eyes widened at the sight of it (whatever _it_ was exactly). This thing had his dad written all over it. At first glance, it appeared to be a high tech electronic device of some sort. Blaine had never seen the likes of it before. It was definitely too advanced for twenty-first century Earth too. 

“What have you left for me, dad?” Blaine muttered, furrowing his brows together much like his father did when he was deep in thought. 

There were no directions, which was typical dad--he never bothered with them, but unlike the Doctor, Blaine didn’t have a sonic screwdriver at his disposal. His father kept saying that he would give Blaine one once _he was old enough_ , though he refused to say _when_ that would be. So Blaine was left to examine the machine with his eyes alone. The biggest clue Blaine came across was the large lense, which made him think it was a video projector. It basically looked like it was half between a laptop and a projector, actually. 

Blaine pressed the largest button and held his breath. The machine whirred to life and a holographic image of the Doctor materialized in front of him. His father was dressed just like the old days with his tweed jacket, black trousers with suspenders, and his trademark bow tie. The projection image was semi-transparent and slightly grainy. 

“Dad?” 

The image of the Doctor didn’t react to his son’s calls, which told Blaine that this was a recording and not a live projection. 

“Does this look right to you, dear?” the Doctor called to someone who was off screen.

“Would you like me to come and take a look, sweetie?” River's voice answered back.

The holograph fluxed as the Doctor tinkered with the controls until the image became more clear.

“No it's alright River, I've got it now!”

But his words of assurance were proven wrong when his holographic self went all fuzzy and distorted. Blaine heard the sound of heavy footsteps and that told him that River Song had come to her husband's rescue yet again.

“Then why has the feedback gone wonky?” River asked.

“Because I haven't found a solution yet! Never fear. Yes, there we are; all crystal clear now!” True to the Doctor's words, Blaine could see him and River properly again. His parents turned to face him--or rather the recording lens.

“Now then Blaine, I'm assuming that you can hear us, yes? Oh what I am asking you for! I didn't make this holograph interactive and it's too late for that now.”

“Just start the message, sweetie, before you bore our son with useless drivel,” River said, her voice full of teasing affection.

“Thank you River dear, I’m glad you're here to put me back on track. So, before I go off again… Blaine, you are only a few months right now--blimey how times flies when you’re stuck in a singular timeline--sorry, there I go again. If everything goes to plan then you’ll be watching this message when you’re about to head off for college.” The Doctor cleared his throat for a moment before going on. “Your mother and I have decided that the information you’re going to learn shouldn’t just be about earth.” 

Blaine settled on the edge of his bed; he’d been wondering when his parents would get around to filling in the blanks about their pasts. He’d given up asking them about it, so this was a very nice surprise for his parents to leave him. 

“River and I--sorry--I should start using our earth names--Melody and I…” The Doctor’s words drifted off again and he frowned. “Oh, I do hope we’ve gotten used to to them by the time you’re watching this, Blaine.” 

River poked her head into the hologram, which looked very eerie since there was no body connected to it. “Where as I hope that your father won’t try to get me to let him use the name John Smith anymore.” 

The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned to face his wife’s floating head. “What’s wrong with the name John Smith? It’s the name I always use on earth.” 

“That’s just it; you have used it so many times it’s become predictable--too predictable.” 

“We’ve been through this dear; it’s a common enough name so there wouldn’t be any real danger in using Smith as our family name. Especially since going back in time to 2000 to raise Blaine will make it possible for us to keep out of harm's way and from running into our past selves,” the Doctor rambled. 

River, who was now fully in view, threw her hands up in the air. “Oh I’m not having this argument again, and certainly not when our teenage son is watching.” 

At the reminder of Blaine, the Doctor turned back to face where his son would be and flashed a sheepish grin. “Oh,” Blaine swore his dad was actually blushing, though it was hard to be sure. “Sorry about that. All right, it’s time to get back to what we’re here for eh, Blaine?” He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand awkwardly as he composed himself. “I’ve created a video glossary for you to watch at your leisure. Both River and I have answered every possible question we thought you would want to know about us and our lives before you came along.” 

“Including both of our pasts and right down to our genetic structures,” added River, who had gone offscreen again. 

“I just hope it won’t ruin your high opinion of your old man--” 

River laughed, “Old? You? I bet that Blaine looks as old as you do right now, if not older.” 

“I’m working on a perception filter to age my appearance as the years go on.” That seemed to be enough for River to leave him be, so the Doctor resumed his original speech. “Now Blaine, I feel I should warn you that many of the stories you’re about to hear aren’t the happiest of tales… though not all of them with be so dark.” 

The more serious side--the one that Blaine rarely saw--had begun to surface on his dad’s face at the mere mention of those difficult memories. It made Blaine wish he could tell him he didn’t have to, but he already had, so there was nothing Blaine could do but sit and listen. 

“It wasn’t easy to retell some of those stories, but you deserve to know them, Blaine. You are an adult now, or nearly so, and it goes without saying that you can be trusted with all this information. I think it would be best to get the worst story over and done with as well.” The Doctor pulled up a chair and took a seat, keeping his legs far apart so he could rest his cradled hands between them. “My only request is that when you see me next you will give me an amazing hug.” 

River appeared to kiss her husband on the cheek. “I’ll leave it to you then, sweetie.” 

The Doctor’s warm smile left him as soon as she did and he turned his attention back to Blaine. “Back before you were born and far before I had met River, my life was very different. I was essentially alone. I would have companions now and then, but no one stayed for very long, some by choice and others I lost… but I’ll go into that in a different video. I had no family, and no home to return to… because I’m not just a Time Lord Blaine, I’m the only Time Lord left. I’m the last of my kind and I have been for a very long time,” he explained in a soft voice. 

“What happened?” Blaine asked, forgetting that his dad couldn’t hear his question. 

But the Doctor smiled lightly as if he had. “There was a war, a time war…”  
_______________________________________________________________________

Nothing could have prepared Blaine for hearing the tragic story of the time war that had risked to end all life across the galaxy and the horrible decision his father had to make. All he could do was sit on the bed hugging his knees as he watched the holo projection. Blaine was barely able to hold himself together when it was finally over. He was left physically sick to his stomach. Thank goodness his dad hadn’t physically been there, or they never would have gotten through with it. Blaine ended up crying into his pillow until there was nothing left for him to emote. The Time Lords had started down a dark path that left the Doctor with no other choice; he had sacrificed everything; his morality, and essentially his soul, for the greater good. Blaine didn’t judge his dad for his actions, how could he when he already had suffered so much because of it. 

Blaine forced himself up from the bed, pausing the video so he could head to the bathroom. When he looked in the mirror he saw that his eyes and nose were red and blotchy. 

_‘I can’t believe he went through so much.’_ Blaine splashed cold water onto his face. He hoped that was the worst his dad had gone through. No wonder the Doctor had tried to erase that terrible moment and that regeneration from his memory. 

Once he was feeling slightly better Blaine walked back into his room, letting out a heavy sigh as he unpaused the holoprojector. At first he thought the feed wasn’t working but he soon realized that his dad was sitting motionless. So Blaine wasn’t the only one who had needed time to recover it seemed. Hunched over in his chair, the Doctor’s head was buried in his hands, as if he was too ashamed to even look his son’s way. Blaine wished he could reach out and hug him. But then River suddenly appeared and she hadn’t come empty handed. In her arms was a baby, who looked oddly familiar. 

“That’s me,” Blaine muttered, obviously but it still surprised him. 

River nudged the Doctor’s shoulder and his bleak smile instantly brightened at the sight of his young son. 

“Here we are,” River cooed as she handed Baby Blaine over. “I think daddy needs some father son time.” 

As the Doctor cradled his son in his arms all the tenseness in his shoulders began to loosen and his old cheerful self was nearly back. Blaine still saw the pain in his eyes, but it paled in comparison with the pure and unconditional love he felt for the tiny infant in his arms. He nestled his face against little Blaine’s head. 

“Blaine, you have no idea what a precious gift you are for your mother and me. You are our little prince of time. I never thought I would want this again--having a family--I was so sure that part of me had died long ago. I guess that means even I can be wrong at times.” The Doctor chuckled. “Don’t tell River that though, this is just between the two of us.” 

The baby in his arms began to fuss until the Doctor slowly rocked him back to sleep, sighing when he was settled. Once he seemed to be sure the infant was fully asleep he looked ahead again, staring right into the eyes of present day Blaine, who he knew would be watching him one day. 

“I know that couldn’t have been easy for you to go through Blaine, but I hope it will begin to explain a number of things about the darker parts of my life.” 

Blaine smiled at his father’s image before turning to projector off; he’d learned enough at about the Doctor’s past for one night. Lying down on the bed, Blaine let out a heavy sigh. There was still so much Blaine didn’t know about his parents. When he had been little their stories had always just been harrowing adventures full of fun and excitement. He had never stopped to think just how much danger they had been in. At least he knew better now, and he finally understood why they had kept so much from him. Blaine would watch the next video soon, possibly tomorrow, if his first day of school didn’t turn out to be too draining for him. 

_‘I’m going to give dad the hug of his life whenever I see him next.’_ Hopefully the wait wouldn’t be too long, but long enough that his folks could enjoy themselves of course.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

After attending orientation, Kurt and Quinn had decided to venture out and see what Cambridge had to offer and they managed to only get slightly lost towards the end of their journey. It was still enough to make them come home rather late in the evening, but it wasn’t like they had anything else to do. Quinn had been surprisingly good company during their little endeavour too. She had a keen eye for fashion and a sharp wit that Kurt enjoyed conversing with. Kurt felt like he could be himself around her as well, which was nice surprise. 

This time when Kurt stepped inside of Carlyle Lodge it was much more lively, but what surprised him the most was how everyone greeted them on their way to their rooms. Some only gave a quick nod in acknowledgement but others actually went so far as to introduce themselves and to welcome him and Quinn to the area. 

Kurt stopped in front of his room and turned to face Quinn. “Thanks for keeping me company today Quinn, I had a lot of fun.” 

“Even when we got lost and took the wrong bus and were halfway to London before we realized?” Quinn asked with a small smile. 

“Even then, now if I had been alone, then there would have been more reason to panic.” 

Quinn waved goodbye to Kurt on her way down the hall and he was still smiling when he turned back around, right up until he ended up bumping into someone. Caught completely off guard, Kurt lurched backwards and almost onto the ground, but his assailant grabbed onto his arm and righted him back up before that could happen. 

“Thanks,” Kurt breathed as he looked to see who it was. “Oh, Adam I’m so sorry.” 

Adam held up his hands to stop Kurt’s apology. “It was my fault; I wasn’t looking where I was going. I wanted to make sure you and Quinn had gotten home all right before I headed out.” 

“That’s sure sweet of you, but we’re both fine, so don’t let me keep you,” Kurt said. 

“It’s nothing that can’t wait.” Adam’s smile was infectious, and charming, and made his blue eyes twinkle and Kurt really shouldn’t let his mind wander like this or he could embarrass himself real quick here.

“No hot night out then?” 

Adam laughed, “No, just a quiet night in with my boyfriend, who is as patient and understanding when it comes to my R.A duties as he is handsome.” A dreamy smile crept across his face at the thought of said boyfriend. 

Kurt should have known. All the good ones were either straight, taken or still in the closet. Though Kurt reminded himself that he was barely out himself and didn’t need to worry about dating anyone just yet. Not when he had a whole new country as well as his freshman year of college to keep him occupied. No, romance could wait, but hopefully not for too long. 

“Night Kurt,” Adam said, bringing Kurt out of his momentary lapse. 

“Bye,” Kurt called back, though it was too little too late; Adam was already rushing down the stairs. 

So Adam wasn’t going to be anything other than Kurt’s dorm R.A and a possible friend. Oh well, he could live with that just fine. Kurt’s reasons for coming to England might have been for the sake of his education, but he would be lying if he weren’t hoping he would meet the love of his life at some point. 

Once Kurt was inside his dorm room he set his alarm to give him enough time to get ready for tomorrow.

“Someday my prince will come.” All Kurt needed to do was wait for when they would be in the right time and place so they could finally meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blaine not having a British accent stemmed from myself being unable to picture Darren with an English accent in my mind. Although we all know he could pull one off and do it well. I decided to make his accent or lack thereof a (small) plot point in the story to make things more interesting. I'm not sure if it works but that's my explanation.
> 
> I hope the timeline makes sense but just for added clarification. The Doctor and River begin travelling together after what takes place in 'The Angels Take Manhattan' where in this version River says yes when the Doctor asks her to travel with him.
> 
> They travel together and their romance strengthens into a loving marriage and somewhere along the line (a year or two most likely) River discovers she's pregnant. Instead of raising their child on the go, River and the Doctor decide to earth to give them a proper (and safe) human life.
> 
> To reduce the chance of danger and leaving the earth unprotected, the Doctor and River go back to year 2000 (originally it was 1995 for the first draft I wrote in 2013 lol) and Blaine is born sometime after. That way the Doctor could avoid his past self by not purposely being in the same place at the same time. That's also one of reasons he chose to live in Cambridge instead of London. Boy time travel sure is confusing. X___X I hope I made sense for people.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Kurt was livid. Stopping to a halt, he threw his hands dramatically in the air to express his frustration. How could he be lost again? Things had started out well enough, but apparently he had turned a wrong corner and suddenly nothing looked familiar. Though in all honestly, Kurt didn’t really recognize anything yet. By the time Kurt regained his bearings again, it was already too late, class had started for the day, so he had no choice but to face the music. He tried to remind himself that this wasn’t high school anymore; students were probably late all the time, and it was only the first day of class too. 

The professor turned to face Kurt the second he entered the room, and she wasn’t the only one; all eyes were on him in an instant. 

“Looks like we have a late arrival,” the professor announced; her voice didn’t sound negative to Kurt, but it was hard to know for sure. 

“Sorry, I got lost.” Kurt blushed. “I know it’s not the most original excuse but it is the truth and I’m going to make sure it never happens again.” 

“Please take a seat, Mr--” the professor said, her expression softening a little after hearing Kurt’s obvious American accent. 

“Hummel, thank you,” Kurt stuttered in reply as he hurried off to claim one of the few vacant seats left in the room. He took one without even bothering to look at anyone seated around him, placing his bookbag on the floor as he kept his eyes glued to the front of the class.

Mrs. Pearson (thankfully Kurt already knew her name) resumed their lesson without any further interruptions and after speaking for twenty minutes, announced that she was going to test their acting ability next. Kurt immediately volunteered, hoping his eagerness would redeem himself and put him in a more positive light. A second male student was called down to act alongside Kurt, who listened beside him as they were told their scene. 

Ignoring the butterflies fluttering around in his stomach, Kurt switched to actor mode and threw himself into the role. His start off was a little clumsy, and it was the same for his acting partner, but thankfully the two freshman quickly began to improve. As the dialogue went on, Kurt saw a chance to make a witty remark and he took it without looking back. The room broke into muffled laughter and Kurt had to force himself not to break character by grinning to himself. 

The laughter quickly died down, save for one young man, who was still chuckling away. The pleasing sound of his voice caused Kurt’s attention to slip just long enough to glance his way. Kurt wished he hadn't the second his eyes fell on the man’s still grinning face. Mrs. Pearson ended the scene and told Kurt and his acting partner to go back to their seats before Kurt could get into any real trouble. 

Now that Kurt wasn’t in the spotlight anymore, he snuck another glance at his admirer--make that his ridiculously handsome admirer! Soft hazel-brown eyes, wavy back hair that was styled with gel, and a smile that could make anyone swoon. This guy was the whole package deal. Kurt was both flattered and amazed that someone so gorgeous had noticed him at all, let alone laugh at his joke (which wasn’t even that funny). _‘I wonder what his name is?’_ More importantly, was he gay, single, and into freshly-out American boys who were good at cracking jokes? Kurt bet he had a beautiful singing voice to go along with his dashing good looks as well.

_'Okay, I seriously need to stop staring at him,'_ Kurt thought.

Kurt willed himself to focus on the lesson and not on a pair of alluring hazel eyes and the man they belonged to seated in the middle row. Eventually class finished and this time Kurt was ready for it. As soon as the bell started Kurt was off, maneuvering his way through the crowds to make it to his next class with impressive speed. There were a couple of near hits along the way, but Kurt made it without any real incidents and he darted into the room just as the last student from the class prior was leaving. 

“Yes! Made it,” Kurt panted, falling into the chair nearest to him. He was quite relieved he had time to spare, because he’d need those extra minutes to catch his breath. 

No sooner than he had caught it, his breath was taken away from him at the sight of the next person who entered the room. Kurt blinked in surprise. _‘Oh, my god! It’s him!’_ What were the odds that he and his dreamboat with the gorgeous hazel eyes were in two classes together? Kurt could barely believe his eyes (or his luck) and it probably showed on his stunned face. 

“Hi there,” hazel eyes said all of a sudden; his throaty voice instantly winning Kurt over, though he was pretty far gone already. 

“Oh, hello there, you’re in my acting class right?” Kurt asked. 

“Yes I am, I was the one who couldn’t stop laughing at the hilarious joke you made,” he replied, smiling. “I’m Blaine Anderson.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Blaine.” Blaine, what a wonderful name. “My name’s Kurt,” he added, just in case Blaine didn’t remember it from before. 

“Kurt Hummel right?” 

Kurt nodded, doing his best to hide his inner glee as Blaine claimed the chair on Kurt’s left and sat down beside him. There was still a bit of time before class began (thank you universe), so Kurt tried to think of something to ask Blaine about. A lot of questions came to mind, most of which were far too inappropriate to ask someone he’d just met. 

“So tell me Blaine, where are you from?” Kurt couldn’t tell if he was from the States going by his accent. 

For some unknown reason, a look of worry flashed on Blaine’s face for a second before he replaced it with a smile. “Oh, _that_ … um…” Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it doesn’t sound like it, but I am from England actually.” He glanced shyly over at Kurt with a sheepish grin. “Do I sound that odd to you?” 

Kurt instantly shook his head. “No, not at all.” And he meant it too. “You sound very natural to me, and I think it suits you.” He would have felt guilty for bringing it up, but Blaine looked too adorable for words right now. His little endearing smile and soft hazel eyes were a powerful combination that could be Kurt’s downfall if he weren’t careful. 

“Are you sure you're not just saying that to be nice?” Was it Kurt or was there a hint of flirtation in Blaine’s voice. 

“No, you sound fine, Blaine.” 

Blaine sighed. “Oh good, that’s a relief to hear.” 

A sudden flow of students entered the room, followed by the professor, thus ending Kurt and Blaine’s friendly little chat. Left with no other choice, Kurt mouthed sorry to Blaine, who grinned back at him before looking forward. Blaine was still close at hand, which meant that Kurt got to glance over at him now and then. He wasn’t used to having such nice eye candy around, at least, not anyone whom Kurt had ever cared to notice. Back in high school he had been too deep in the closet to even risk admiring cute guys, let alone talking to any. Not that there were any out guys for him to safely crush on. That probably explained why Kurt had gotten such good grades; there was literally nothing else for him to do but study. 

Blaine had always been a very perceptive person, thanks to his parents, and no thanks to the many secrets they needed to keep. He always knew when someone was watching him, so he was well aware of Kurt’s little looks. It had been hard not to smile each time it happened, but he didn’t want to embarrass Kurt. Especially since Blaine was equally guilty. He couldn’t help it, there was something about Kurt that Blaine felt drawn to.

When class ended, Kurt didn’t rush out of the room like he had before, but held back to turn Blaine’s way with a shy smile. 

“I guess I’ll be seeing you, Blaine.” 

Blaine nodded. His next class wasn’t on the other side of the campus so there was little time to dawdle. He watched Kurt as he walked down the hall until he turned a corner and went out of sight. Blaine himself hurried along after that, dashing through the crowd of students until he found the right classroom. There were already people inside, one of which looked oddly familiar, and whom approached Blaine immediately. 

“We meet again.” Kurt was grinning from ear to ear. 

“What are the odds of us having three classes together?” Blaine asked, smiling back at him with ease. 

“I know right. It’s sure nice to see a familiar face.” 

Blaine smiled as he sat down beside him. “It must be quite a change for you, after coming all this way for college.” 

“You have no idea,” Kurt said with a sigh. “Don’t get me wrong, I already love it here, but it’s still pretty overwhelming. I feel like I’m a little fish who's jumped out of his seemingly big pond and ended up in the vast ocean!” 

“If it helps, you’re not the only freshman having trouble adjusting to college life. It’s a big change for anyone--myself included--so you’re not alone there Kurt, all of us here at CSVPA--from seniors to freshman alike--are trying their best to simply stay afloat.” Blaine hoped he was making enough sense.

“That’s true.” Kurt smiled. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.” 

“Where are you from Kurt, if you don’t mind me asking.” Blaine knew Kurt wouldn’t, he was just overly polite by nature. 

“I lived in Lima, Ohio,” Kurt said, chuckling when Blaine furrowed his brows together. “It’s okay if you’ve never heard of it; you’re not missing out on much. Lima is nothing special, it’s just your average backwater town--” He stopped all of a sudden as the professor passed by the seating area to reach their desk. “We’re being interrupted yet again; you’d think this was a school or something.” 

Blaine laughed. “You have lunch next too right? We can continue our conversation then perhaps?” 

“I’d like that,” Kurt said, blushing slightly.   
_________________________________________________________________________________

As soon as their class was over, Blaine headed off with Kurt to the cafeteria and got in line for their food. The pair chatted like long lost friends, conversation coming easily. Blaine wondered if they got on so well because Kurt’s sharp wit reminded him of his parents. It would explain a few things, but not all of them. His conversations with his family never got this playful. Any further theories were put aside when they headed off to find a free table. 

“So tell me Blaine, when did you know that you wanted to pursue musical theatre at a college level?” Kurt asked as he sat down. 

Blaine placed his tray of food on the table in front of him once he was seated. It was nice to have someone ask him a question he had no problem answering. In fact he was delighted, and there was no reason to hide it as he quickly pondered how he should answer. 

“It wasn’t just one thing that made me decide. I’ve always loved music. My mum would sing to me when I was a baby, and my dad taught me how to play the piano as soon as I was able to sit up on my own.” A warm smile spread across his face. “According to them I’ve been singing long before I could talk, and I’d been dancing even before I could walk…” He stopped himself when he realized what he was saying. Blaine rubbed the back of his neck, blushing as he smiled sheepishly at Kurt. “The song ‘Thank You for the Music’ by Abba may as well have been written for me…” And for all he knew, it might have, but the Doctor had sworn he hadn’t done any time travelling since Blaine was born. 

“I doubt you’re a bore though,” Kurt replied, smirking. 

Blaine laughed; it didn’t surprise him that Kurt knew the lyrics to the song too. “Thanks.” He tore his eyes away from Kurt so he could eat some of his lunch before the break was over. “My love for theatre is thanks to my parents as well; they took me to my first show when I was six and that was it: I was hooked. I knew what I wanted to do with my life from that point on… and the rest as they say, is history.” Though in his case, it was a rather lackluster history, but Blaine didn’t mind that so much. 

“I fell in love with musicals from watching them on video at first. It wasn’t long before I was buying soundtrack after soundtrack and learning each song by heart,” Kurt said. 

“I was the same way.” Blaine had an exceptionally good memory as well, so he still remembered every song he’d ever sung to this day.

He ate more of his lunch, which actually was quite good, he was just a chatterbox by nature. Kurt had quite a head start on him; he had already finished his sandwich and was halfway through his fruit salad now. He should ask Kurt something, but what exactly? There was one question that came to mind. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you, Kurt, if you don’t mind…” 

“Please, ask away, Blaine,” Kurt said, fluttering his eyelashes as he inched closer. 

Unfortunately, Blaine was completely clueless when it came to flirting, so he didn’t think anything of it--or the potentially playful tone in Kurt’s voice. 

“Why did you go halfway around the world for college?” 

Kurt’s smile fell for a second, but it was back before Blaine could question any possible cause. “It’s pretty simple: I wanted to get as far away from Lima as possible. In my heart I know my life there wasn’t that horrible, but it wasn’t very memorable either. The only good thing about it is my family, other that that… I feel no real connection to my hometown. I spent my entire life there hiding who I was… out of a valid fear mind you, but that only made it worse really.” Kurt played with his fork as he spoke. “I managed to get through high school without any drama, but then I realized, life was pretty boring for me… and lonely…” He glanced up at Blaine and smiled; his cheeks were flushed light pink. “I thought that if I were somewhere else… someplace where I could hopefully be myself… things could finally be better…” 

“You wanted a fresh start,” Blaine said, since Kurt didn’t seem to be in a rush to finish his sentence. He had expected him to nod in agreement, but Kurt actually blinked back at him in what only could be described as surprise. 

“Yes that’s it exactly, Blaine,” Kurt was smiling once again. “I’ve always loved England and it’s well known for having good performing arts schools. So I decided to give it my best shot and to my amazement, I ended up getting in at CSVAP! And now I’m here, doing my best to adapt.” 

“I’m sure you’ll fit in fine. I’ve already seen how well you can act, Kurt,” Blaine insisted. 

“Thanks, it’s nice of you to say that.” Kurt had never felt so at ease with someone he had just met before. Blaine was being so pleasantly polite with him, and dare he hope, playful as well, but that was left to be determined. It suddenly dawned on Kurt that this might be a chance for him to casually slip in his sexual orientation. Not only would he get a chance to share but possibly find out what Blaine’s deal was as well. “I’m definitely happy to finally be in a place where being gay won’t be so out of the ordinary like it was back in Lima.” 

“It’s never really been an issue for me, so I don’t see why it wouldn’t be the same for you as well,” Blaine nonchalantly replied, as if what he had just revealed wasn’t anything big. 

It was a good thing that Kurt was such a skilled actor or else he never would have been able to hide his delight in confirming that Blaine was indeed gay. It was going to be even harder to stop himself from blushing from now on. “Oh.” Was all he managed to say in reply; he could have done better with his delivery. At least Blaine didn’t seem to notice any real change in Kurt. “That’s a relief to hear… I didn’t come out until after high school graduation, so um…” He wasn’t sure how to word himself; he’d never spoken to anyone his age about his coming out before. “What about you?” 

“I’ve never been in the closet really.” 

Kurt eyes widened and his mouth fell open, the grape he was just about to eat rolling onto the table. “You’re kidding!” How was that even possible? There was no way England could be that much more progressive than the US! 

A few students had turned to look at Kurt, who blushed when he realized how loud he had shouted. “Sorry, I’m just super surprised to hear that.” 

“It’s all right, Kurt,” Blaine said with a gentle smile. “I should have realized how surprising that would be for you to hear.” It hadn’t even entered his mind at all actually. “My parents have always been extremely opened minded and accepting.” Pride swelled up in his chest as he said this. “So when my parents started seeing signs that their son might like boys instead of girls they saw no reason for concern.” 

Blaine could see that he had Kurt's whole attention. His new friend had gone completely still as he quietly listened.

“One day when I was… six I believe, or maybe I was seven.” In truth Blaine knew he had been six; he just liked to pretend his memory wasn’t so perfect. “I walked up to my mum and said ‘I really like boys, Mummy,’ and do you know what she told me?” Blaine smiled, his eyes full of warm affection for her. “She said that was lovely and kissed my forehead. I guess I came out then, in a sense, but I was still too young to really know what I was saying, so it doesn’t really count.” 

Any envy Kurt felt was minimal since Blaine was being so refreshingly honest with him. His own dad, Burt had been very supportive and accepting when he’d come out, and it was the same with his stepmom Carole and stepbrother Finn, but it had still been a difficult thing for him to do. More so because he had waited so long to come out to them. 

“When I did realize I was gay, just knowing I had my parents love and support was enough for me, so I never bothered to hide it,” Blaine finished. 

Kurt leaned forward to rest his chin on his hands; there was just no helping it, Blaine was too amazing for words! How in the world was he going to keep himself from falling desperately in love with him? It was hard not to with how Blaine was paying so much attention to him and smiling so much at him. Not to mention all of the flirting, or at least, Kurt thought it was flirting. It was hard to know for sure. Blaine could just be that charming by nature, but Kurt could still dream right? Just as long as he didn’t let his growing infatuation go too far. 

Blaine’s name was suddenly called out and he and Kurt both turned their heads at the same time to see who it could be. Judging by his instant grin, Kurt could tell it was someone he knew, or rather, two someones, one of which was a guy, and a quite good looking one for that matter. Kurt should have known Blaine was too good to be true. This had to be Blaine’s loving boyfriend, the lucky devil. 

“Hey there,” Blaine said, smiling. 

“Hi, Blainey, I’m glad Sammy and I finally found you,” the girl replied, plopping herself down in the empty chair in between Kurt and Blaine.

“Who’s your friend, mate?” The blond guy asked as he took the remaining chair on Kurt’s left. 

“This is Kurt Hummel, he’s a fellow freshman who’s in the same two classes as me.” Blaine gestured to the girl first. “Kurt, this is Brittany…” He patted the blond guy on the shoulder next. “And this is Sam, who are my two best mates in the world.” 

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you both,” Kurt told them, holding any silly judgments he might have formed of the boy. He knew virtually nothing about them, or their relationship with Blaine aside from what he’d just learned. 

Brittany didn’t respond to Kurt’s greeting and simply stared at him with awe filled blue eyes. “You’re really pretty, Kurt,” she said finally. “You’re like a unicorn.” 

“Um, thanks.” Kurt wasn’t sure what to make of her, or her odd comment, but Blaine’s adorable eye roll in embarrassment made it almost worthwhile. 

“I told you you could get a cute boyfriend if you actually tried, Blaine,” Brittany whispered out of the blue. 

If Brittany had hoped Kurt wouldn’t overhear her comment then she really should have kept her voice down a bit more. It was clear that Blaine was aware of this, judging by his consequent face plant on the table with an equally audible moan. 

“I don’t think they’re that far yet, Britt,” Sam warned, elbowing his clueless girlfriend. 

Playing ignorant for Blaine’s sake, Kurt smiled at Brittany and Sam before he asked, “How long have you two known Blaine for?” 

“Since our ninth year,” Sam replied. “Or as you Americans would say, since our freshman year of high school.” 

Kurt didn’t understand how the UK’s grade school ranking system worked at all so he was very grateful for the clarification.

“If you haven’t asked him out then you should,” Brittany whispered into Blaine’s ear as she snuggled up to him. 

“Leave me be Brittany, I’m begging you, before I die of embarrassment, _and_ scare poor Kurt away,” Blaine hissed back, refusing to show his face to anyone as he laid on the table. 

Poor Blaine. Kurt needed to do something to let him know that he wasn’t going to run off. Especially not when he now knew that Blaine was both gay and single, but Kurt was trying not to think about that too much. 

“It’s nice to see that being gay hasn’t stopped your friends from wanting to play matchmaker for you.” Kurt hoped it was okay for him to say something like that. 

Blaine slowly lifted his head up and let out a tired sigh. “That’s one way to look at it I suppose.” 

“Aww don’t be like that, Blainey,” Brittany cooed, kissing him on the cheek. “Sammy and I just want you find someone so you can be happy and in love and go on double dates with us.” 

So Brittany and Sam were an item. Kurt forced back a giddy grin. Things were getting better and better.

Blaine rolled his eyes again. “I don't need a boyfriend to be happy, Britt.”

Kurt wondered what Blaine had against dating. If he did at all; for all Kurt knew, Blaine had said that just to keep Brittany off of his case. 

“I think I'll go get Britt and me some food,” Sam said, standing up and heading off. 

Much to Blaine’s visible relief (he was being far too adorable), Brittany stopped pestering him and started talking to Kurt, who was happy to oblige. Some of her questions were a bit out there, or rather personal, but Kurt was starting to get the hang of Brittany’s odd personality. Kurt told her and Blaine about his experiences since arriving in Cambridge and how he’d instantly fallen in love with it ‘just like he knew he would.’ 

“I like it here too, I just wish it weren’t so boring sometimes,” Brittany said. “You need to go to London Kurt, that’s where all the action is.” 

Blaine snorted. “A little too much action for my liking sometimes.” 

“I can’t wait to go there. I had considered applying to schools in London, but there was something about Cambridge that drew me to it.” Kurt eye’s unintentionally fell on Blaine right when he said ‘something’ and he blushed.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Kurt’s class after lunch wasn’t the same as Blaine’s, so they were forced to part ways. As he sat quietly in his seat, Kurt found himself wishing that Blaine was there with him. That was it then, Kurt had already formed a crush on his new friend that was growing by the minute. Kurt could hardly blame himself though, Blaine was charming, inviting, thoughtful, funny, beyond adorable and oh so dashingly handsome. It was no wonder to Kurt, who had met so few quality men (and none that were out) in his young life. The one thing he wasn’t sure about was if Blaine was equally interested in him. There had been a couple of moments when Kurt thought Blaine might be flirting with him. If only he could be sure…

Once again Kurt pushed such thoughts aside to pay attention for the real reason he had come to Cambridge. Kurt kept Blaine out of his mind (for the most part) and was able to focus on the lesson and actually enjoy himself a great deal. It was so refreshing to learn about subjects he actually cared about. 

When class was over Kurt caught sight of a familiar figure ahead of him on his way out of the room and he instantly smiled. “Hello Blaine, what a nice surprise.” 

“Hi. It’s nice to see you so soon again too.” Blaine beamed at him. “I was wondering if you had any plans for today?” 

“Um no, not really,” Kurt sputtered; he hadn’t thought that far ahead yet. 

“Brittany and Sam, and I were going to head to my place next, so I thought I’d see if you’d like to join us,” 

“Oh! Yes I’d love to go with you, Blaine!” Kurt blurted out, blushing straight away. “Um I mean, yes I would, thank you, Blaine.” He really needed to work on the art of subtly. 

“Great,” Blaine said. 

“Won’t four people be a bit crowded for a dorm room though?” Unless Blaine had a double and his roommate wouldn’t be there--or maybe it was Sam. 

Blaine frowned, but only for a second before he chuckled. “Oh sorry, I should have worded myself better. When I said ‘my place’ I meant my flat…” When the answer only made Kurt narrow his eyes, Blaine added, “I have my own apartment nearby.” 

“You do? And here I thought everyone going to CSVPA were staying in dorms--or freshmen were at least,” Kurt admitted. 

“Most are, but a few aren’t and I’m one of them. It’s a long story, and a boring one so I’ll spare you the details. But it does mean I have the room to entertain. My flat’s nothing special mind you, and it’s not that big either, but it is one short bus ride away.” 

Kurt got a sudden bright idea. “Is there room for one more?” 

“Sure, the more the merrier,” Blaine said, smiling. 

“Great! I'd like to invite a new friend of mine. Her name is Quinn, she’s from the States like me.” Kurt brought out his phone. “I’ll just send her a quick text.”

“I feel I should warn you, Kurt,” Blaine began, grinning wider when Kurt looked up from his phone in puzzlement. “I’m not much of a home decorator. My flat is a work in progress. I’ve unpacked everything but the end result is seriously lacking still.” 

Kurt’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It’s a good thing we’re friends Blaine, because home decorating happens to be a talent of mine.” 

“That’s splendid news, Kurt!” Blaine fancy use of words was quite endearing. “I really could use some help, so please.” He bowed at Kurt, dipping his head and closing his eyes for a moment. “Bestow your wisdom on me.” 

There was no denying the flirtation in Blaine’s voice, or the little glint in his eyes as he stood upright again. But those two things weren’t even the most surprising, what really caught Kurt by surprise was how Blaine had reverted back to his British accent. At first Kurt thought he had done it on purpose, perhaps to sound extra playful (please let him be flirting) but Blaine’s widening eyes and tight jaw spoke otherwise. 

“I’d be glad to, Blaine,” Kurt answered before Blaine said anything in response. 

Blaine’s shoulders sagged with instant relief. “Thanks.” He was blushing now, and apparently trying his best to ignore it. “I need all the help I can get.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Blaine followed Kurt as his friend searched the hallway for Quinn. It was proving difficult for Blaine to keep up with him in fact (if he didn’t want to use his second heart, which he definitely did not); Kurt sure could move (for a human anyway). The way that Kurt zig-zagged through the crowds was remarkable, and Blaine almost lost track of him more than once. 

_‘Kurt could give dad a run for his money,’_ Blaine thought with amusement as he finally managed to catch up. 

“There she is!” Kurt said, coming to a halt. “Quinn, hey!” 

A young woman with blonde hair turned around to reveal her pretty face; her smile in seeing Kurt wasn’t large but still noticeable. “Hey there, Kurt.” She glanced at Blaine, who was standing politely beside Kurt and her smile turned into a mild smirk. “Who’s your friend?” 

Kurt gestured to Blaine on his right. “This is Blaine, we ended up having the same classes today except for one.” 

Like a perfect gentleman, Blaine offered his hand to Quinn and gave a friendly shake hello when she accepted his greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Quinn.” 

“Likewise,” Quinn said with an elegant smile. 

“Blaine’s invited us to hang out at his new apartment with two of his friends,” Kurt began, clasping his hands in front of his beaming face. “Which will not only be fun, but will be a good chance to socialize with the locals in the process.” 

“Sure,” Quinn’s attention shifted from Kurt to Blaine. “But when you say locals, does that include Blaine as well?”

Blaine stiffened. “Oh right, my voice…” Why in the world had he thought he could get away with how odd he sounded so easily? Suddenly his father’s assurance that ‘Everything will work out, Son. Someone as clever as you will think of something’ didn’t feel so comforting anymore. “I thought speaking this way would make me sound more mysterious…” Blaine sighed. “I’d stop but I’ve put too much investment in to give up now.” 

“Try not to worry too much about it, Blaine. I think it’s charming, and only a tiny bit quirky,” Kurt said. 

“Kurt’s right, you shouldn’t worry about it. I only asked because I was curious. You should talk however you want. It’s your life,” Quinn added. 

_‘I like her,’_ Blaine thought with a grin. Quinn reminded him of his mother, who he knew would like her just as much. Though Blaine was in no rush to let either of his parents meet her, Kurt, or any other new friends he would hopefully make at school. It wasn’t that he was worried they wouldn’t make a first good impression; his dad had a talent for winning people over, and his mom was a real charmer, he was more concerned about them sharing embarrassing stories, and who knew what else. 

As far as Blaine was concerned, any of those potentially momentous meetings could wait until much farther into the future--much much farther.   
_____________________________________________________________________________

After taking the short bus ride, Blaine brought his band of friends to a group of one story flats and stopped half way down the block. At first glance, the apartment, as well as the area surrounding it wasn’t very much to look at. His flat was identical to the others around it, which was just how he liked it; Blaine already stood out just being a college student living there on his own. 

Blaine turned around to face everyone once he made it to the foot of the stairs.“Here we are: my brand new home sweet home!” Kurt giggled at Blaine’s enthusiasm--bless him. “Although as you all can surely see; this apartment block is hardly new, but I actually prefer it that way. I like the lived-in look; I think it gives the place character.” He pointed to the nameplate that read ‘Blaine Anderson’ as he puffed his chest up with pride. Kurt didn’t giggle this time but he was still the most amused one out of the group; Sam and Brittany’s smirks were far more teasing, and Quinn’s reaction was a subdued smile. 

“It’s nothing special,” Blaine said, climbing up the four set of stairs to unlock the front door. “But I hope you’ll all feel welcome here.” 

This was the first time anyone aside from his family had seen his flat; Blaine found himself both excited and nervous. His attention soon fixated on Kurt and how his blue eyes were darting around with obvious excitement as he took in the sights around him. Thank goodness Kurt had already offered to help him decorate, because Blaine hadn’t really realized how much work there was left to be done still. Maybe he should have taken up his parents offer to _lend a hand_ ; his dad had turned out to be quite the homebody and his mum’s tastes (in all things) was impeccable. But Blaine had insisted he wanted to do things on his own and had only accepted a few of their many homecoming gifts. 

At least Blaine had a good start with the few pieces of furniture and belongings he’d accumulated (and arranged, to the best of his ability) so far. The wooden coat rack right off the front door had been a gift from his dad and according to him, had once belonged to none other than Oscar Wilde. The Doctor had also assured his sceptical son that the piece had been freely given and not stolen from under the poet’s nose. Blaine had tried to disguise its grandness by placing an ordinary wooden shoe rack and plastic boot tray on either side of it. 

Blaine sucked in air when Kurt paused to look at it and let it out in a breath of relief when he moved on a moment later. 

It was fascinating to watch Kurt stop to take in everything he came across; his attention to detail was impressive. He ended up spending ten minutes exploring Blaine’s kitchen before he finally headed to the living room. The first thing that caught his eye there was the bookcase and he went through each level, nodding in approval at the various ornaments and souvenirs Blaine had painstakingly placed. 

When Kurt finally bothered to turn to look at Blaine, his heart's unexpectedly skipped a beat in union, which was something that had never happened before. 

“You’re off to a good start, Blaine,” Kurt said, laying a hand on Blaine’s coffee table to feel the sleek wooden finish. “Everything you have so far is not only functional but goes amazingly well together.” 

Blaine quickly fought to hide his surprise with a warm smile. “That’s good to hear, Kurt.” 

“I love it too, Blainey. I think it’s magical,” Brittany announced as she gave him a congratulatory hug. 

“Thanks, Britt.” Blaine wasn’t about to admit he’d momentarily forgotten about his other guests. 

“I feel right at home already,” said Sam, who claimed Blaine’s sofa chair for himself by flopping down on it. 

That only left Quinn to make a comment and she didn’t shy away. She smiled as everyone looked over at her in waiting. “It’s definitely better than a dorm room.” 

Relief washed through Blaine; he had been worrying for nothing then, thank goodness. He really should have known better, but sometimes it was hard for him to not always fear the worst. “I appreciate the positive feedback.” 

Sam stretched and let out a content sigh. “I wish my parents could afford to put me up in my own flat.” 

“My mum’s a writer; her mystery novel series has gained a lot of popularity over the past few years,” Blaine quickly explained; it felt nice to not have to lie about his family for once. “My dad helps with research and editing.” 

“Oh really? That’s so cool! I wonder if I’ve heard of her books,” Kurt said. 

“I’m not sure you would have Kurt; they’re just starting to branch out of the UK. Her mystery series has five books and a six one in currently in the works and should be published later this year. I brought my own personal copies of them along with me when I moved. I’m actually re-reading the forth one right now so it should be…” Blaine pretended to look for it for a second (he remembered exactly where it was of course) before pointing right at it. “Britty, can you please hand Kurt that book off my coffee table there.” 

Brittany picked up Blaine’s first edition copy of ‘War and Peace.’ “You mean this one, Blainey?” 

“No, it’s the other one beside it,” Blaine said. 

Kurt took matters into his own hands and grabbed the book in question himself. “I’ve got it, thanks.” 

“Be careful for spoilers,” Blaine warned with a grin; he’d always loved that word. “You don’t want to ruin any of my mum’s mysteries, Kurt.” 

Kurt turned the book around to inspect the cover, which had the title ‘Blink and It’s Over’ on the front in styled lettering. “I take it that ‘Lola Robinson’ is your mom’s pseudonym?” 

“That’s right.” The memory of hearing the story of how River had come up with the name entered his mind and he chuckled lightly. “Apparently it’s an inside joke of my Mum and Dad’s.” Blaine wasn’t going to share it though, not when he didn’t know the full story enough (by choice) to give it any justice. “I might be considered more than a little bias, but her books are amazing reads, and it doesn’t matter how many times you read each novel either. Even I always seem to find some new detail I hadn’t noticed before.” 

“Blaine’s right there; I’ve read the first two myself, and I enjoyed them, or the parts I understood anyway. Blaine’s mum sure knows how to write a good mystery,” Sam said in agreement. 

“I keep saying you should read them in the opposite order Sammy, they make way more sense that way,” Brittany reminded her boyfriend as she perched on the arm of the sofa chair he was sitting in. 

Blaine, who had been busy making refreshments, placed a large serving tray that had a teapot and five mismatched mugs on the coffee table. As soon as his hands were free he dashed back into the kitchen to fetch the second tray of various savories for them to eat with their tea. “I thought it would be fun to give Kurt and Quinn a little taste of Britain by serving a proper English tea.” 

“So the cliche that all British people drink tea is actually correct?” Kurt asked as he selected a mug from the tray. 

“Only when it’s still too early to drink beer,” Sam answered. 

Blaine shrugged. “I’d rather us be known for being tea drinkers than anything more offensive.” 

With Sam and Brittany snuggled together on the sofa chair, Blaine Kurt and Quinn were left to share the couch together. It was a snug fit, but not so much that Blaine felt squashed; he was in the middle with Kurt on his left and Quinn on his right. Kurt was sitting closer to him than Quinn, which Blaine didn’t mind, though he did blush when their hands brushed as they both went for the sugar. 

“So what do people our age do here after school hours?” Kurt asked. 

“Pretty much what we’re doing right now; hanging out, talking, sharing a drink--things like that,” Sam replied, bringing his mug to his lips. 

“Except I doubt most eighteen-year-olds would spend their evenings sitting in an apartment drinking tea. Not that I'm complaining--or judging--because I actually prefer this to any of the alternatives. Many of which I've experienced and have rarely enjoyed,” Quinn remarked.

“Ooh you'll get along great with Blaine then; he hates going to parties!” Brittany said with an excited grin.

“I do not hate going to parties,” Blaine said, frowning. “I’m often the one to suggest we go out and do something rather than stay inside all night.” He took a long drink of his tea. “I just don’t like going to the type of parties where everyone is just there to get drunk.” 

Blaine hated being the only sober one around with no one left to talk to. Any times Sam had managed to drag him to such events had turned into nightmares. There were no respect for personal boundaries or little to no restrain when people tried to proposition him. The last party he had gone to had resulted in a guy grabbing him by the shoulders and kissing him without an invitation. Brittany had given him a black eye shortly thereafter, much to Blaine's slight amusement. 

“Blainey doesn’t like house parties, but he does go to pubs with us sometimes. Oh! I know, we should take Quinn and Kurt to ‘Cambridge’s Edge!’ They would love it there!” Brittany suggested. “It’s the one pub we can always get Blaine to go to.” 

“Once he realized it’s where all of the local performing arts students hang out at anyway,” Sam added. 

Blaine didn’t feel any reason to argue with his friends, since he did enjoy going there and for good reason. The food was delicious, as was the beer and best of all, their selection of mocktails was impeccable. It also helped that the people who went there knew better than to get totally drunk out of their minds. His favourite thing (next to the mocktails) was that the pub had its own little stage on which students could perform for open mic nights. 

“That’s not a bad idea. We should go there sometime for sure,” Blaine said. 

“Why don’t we take them now?” Brittany asked, pouting. 

As luck would have it, Blaine had a viable excuse for not heading there tonight. “There’s a match on tonight Britt, and we both know how crazy things will get.” Just because ‘Cambridge’s Edge’ had a lot of performing art school students as their patrons didn’t mean they weren’t also passionate sports fans. 

Brittany sighed in disappointment. “I guess you’re right. I’d hate for Sammy to get his nose broken again.” 

“What?” Kurt blurted out, nearly choking on his tea. “Oh, I have got hear this story!” 

Blaine sat back and listened as Sam and Brittany told the tale of when Sam had gotten a little more drunk that he had planned and tripped and smacked his nose on the bar counter. Brittany had come back from the bathroom to find Sammy wounded on the floor. Blaine would never forget how he’d had to prie Brittany off of a guy who Sam had gotten some blood on when he’d stood back up. Kurt kept breaking into fits of laughter, and even Quinn cracked a smile more than once during the story. 

The conversation didn’t end once the tale was finished either. It just continued on as the five of them enjoyed their tea. Blaine swore it wasn’t intentionally done, but he kept chatting with Kurt more than anyone else. They just had so much in common so it was impossible not to! Kurt not only shared his passion for musical theatre, but trashy reality television as well. Sam and Brittany tried their best to seem interested in such subjects, but it wasn’t the same thing. Kurt on the other hand had quite a lot to say about every topic Blaine brought up. In most instances they completely took over the conversation and ended up sharing playful banter in the process. Blaine was too caught up in what Kurt was saying to realize his responses were getting rather flirtatious. 

Blaine had just started a heated yet still enjoyable discussion about classic Coronation Street with Kurt when Sam stood up from the couch all of the sudden. 

“I think Britt and I are going to head out.” 

Frowning, Blaine was about to protest, but Quinn rose from the couch next. 

“I should go too, I have a lot of unpacking to do still.” 

The host in Blaine would never allow his guests to leave unhappily; he got up from his seat in protest. “Oh, please don’t go yet, the night’s still young,” Blaine pleaded, making his eyes all wide and puppy dog like. 

Brittany came over to cup the sides of Blaine’s face with her hand. “It’s okay Blainey, you and Kurt won’t miss us at all.” 

“What do you--” Blaine began to ask, only for Brittany to place a finger on his lips. 

“Shh,” she whispered with love. “You have all the company you’ll need. You and Kurt have been flirting for the past twenty minutes.” 

Blaine was about to argue, when a quick glance at his watch confirmed her claims. He had somehow lost track of time! That never happened. Blaine was so surprised (and mildly embarrassed) about the discovery he couldn’t think of anything clever to say in response. 

“Face it boys,” Quinn said to Kurt and Blaine. “You’ll enjoy yourselves way more if the three of us are out of the way.” She was actually smirking at them both; the look suited her, though Blaine wasn’t about to tell her this. 

A quick glance at Kurt revealed that Blaine wasn’t the only one who was blushing; Kurt’s cheeks were equally flushed. Blaine raised a quizzical brow at Kurt, and mouthed ‘what’s with them?’ Kurt merely shrugged at him. 

“What about dinner? I was just going to order us something,” Blaine said in one last attempt to have them stay. 

But it was no use, Sam, Brittany and Quinn had already put their shoes and coats on and were at the door. 

“Make it dinner for two instead,” Sam called back, slipping out through the door before Blaine had time to see them all off. 

Left on their own, Blaine and Kurt stared at one another in bewildered surprise. The one consolation Blaine had was that no one had seemed the last bit annoyed before leaving. If anything, Quinn, Sam and (particularly) Brittany had shown every sign--complete with cheery grins--that they were amused at how the boys had forgotten they were even there. 

“Were we ignoring them?” Blaine asked Kurt as he sat back down on the couch. 

Kurt’s smile in reply was shy like (and utterly adorable). “It didn’t feel that way to me, but I must admit I wasn’t really paying much attention.” 

“I guess I did get a bit carried away when I was chatting with you, but they could have said something,” Blaine said.

“We both did,” Kurt said, smirking. “And yes, they should have.” 

The playfulness in Kurt’s tone was impossible to ignore. The sudden risk of accidentally leading Kurt on became painfully apparent. Would Kurt think he was… interested in him? And even more importantly, was he? Kurt was very charming, and extremely good looking with those sparkling blue eyes and that award winning smile of his. Something told Blaine his decision to avoid relationships was going to be thoroughly challenged now that he’d met Kurt, because he had never met someone he had clicked so easily with before.

“Blaine?”

Blaine blinked at the sound of his name, and flashed Kurt a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I got lost in thought there.” Oh no, why had he said that? Now Kurt would think he didn’t want him there! “There’s no reason we can’t enjoy ourselves even if our friends have abandoned us. You’re welcome to stay for dinner Kurt, that is… as long as you want to.” 

“Dinner does sound nice right about now,” Kurt admitted. 

“Great!” Blaine closed his eyes and shook his head; way to be subtle. “I was going to order from one of my favourite take out restaurants. If Brittany and Sam were still here then they would confirm how good their food is. I even have one of their menus… it’s in the kitchen, hold on--I’ll go get it for you so you can see what they have to offer.” Why was he talking so fast--and saying so much? _‘Breath Blaine, there’s nothing to be nervous about.’_

The menu was right where he had left it (among his recipe books on the main counter) and he returned to Kurt’s side once it was in hand. Kurt thanked him before taking it; his eyes scanning back and forth as he read the menu. Blaine tried his best not to stare at Kurt too much--he’d already blushed enough for today--and busied himself with cleaning up after their tea. 

“Everything sound delicious to me, Blaine. I don’t know what to order,” Kurt said a short while later. 

Blaine grinned. “I’d be happy to suggest something.” 

“Why don’t you just order for the both of us. I trust your taste.” 

“Even when you’ve seen the sorry state of my flat?” 

Kurt laughed, “Even then. I think your apartment looks fine so far. I really like all the little knick knacks on your bookcase. I can’t wait to go shopping so I can start decorating my dorm room. I didn’t bring too much from home with me.” 

One of the many things Blaine’s parents had taught him was where to go shopping for knick knacks! His dad had taken to all sorts of shops; from flea markets in Italy, to high end couture shops in Paris, the Doctor was quite the antique shopaholic! His mom explained that it helped him cope with not being able to buy things from all over the galaxy like he used to. So Blaine was quite confident he could find exactly whatever Kurt was looking for. “I’ll have to take you shopping sometime, Kurt, there are lots of good shops around here and especially in London.” 

“It’s a dat--” Kurt stopped himself before he could finish the word. “--deal! It’s a deal Blaine, thank you so much for offering!” 

“You’re more than welcome,” Blaine replied. Anything else he had wanted to say was interrupted when his stomach growled and they both laughed. 

“I better order our dinner before everything’s closed and we’ll be forced to eat beans on toast!” Blaine brought out his phone, dialed up the restaurant and made their order for takeout. 

When he was finished Blaine saw that Kurt had picked up his mom’s book and was skimming through the pages. It pleased him that Kurt was showing such interest; he always loved meeting fans of River’s--he never missed a book fair, or a signing event. Blaine always liked to boast that he was his mum’s biggest fan, and so far nobody (not even his dad) had been able to challenge his claims. 

“Dinner is on its way Kurt, so I hope you're hungry.” 

“Starving actually,” Kurt said in a very clumsy (no, it was downright bad, Blaine could admit it at least to himself) British accent. Apparently mortified with himself, Kurt hung his head in shame before covering his face with his hands. “I dunno why I did that.” 

Blaine patted Kurt on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I mean, look at me… at least you did it on purpose!” 

Kurt chuckled lightly at Blaine’s joke.

“Say, would you like to borrow my mum’s books to read? I’d be happy to lend you all five if you’re interested.” 

“Would you? I’d love that! Thank you, Blaine! I’ve been meaning to find a new series to read while I’m recovering from lingering jet lag.” 

“I’ll gather them all up for you after we’ve finished dinner. You’ll have to tell me what you think of each book, but there’s no rush in reading them of course. I find it’s better to take your time than rush through things just to see what the ending is.” 

There had been many times that Blaine had wished he could speed up his boring life so he could explore the vast cosmos. It was only now that Blaine fully understood why his parents were so insistent that he stay on earth so he could go to college. The universe would still be waiting for him four years from now, so Blaine would enjoy what life had to offer and hopefully share that joy with the people in his life--new and old.   
________________________________________________________________________________

Kurt couldn’t be just imagining things; Blaine was flirting with him--he had to be--there was no way someone could be that clueless. And Kurt hadn’t even been trying that hard to flirt with him, his words had just come out all playful on their own. Before he knew it, they were exchanging playful banter in between eating their food (which was delicious) and since they were alone, there was no reason for them to stop. Blaine’s comebacks were as witty as they were charming and Kurt was particularly proud of his own clever remarks.

_‘I swear I’m not just working this up in my head,’_ Kurt assured himself, taking a deep breath. As enjoyable as the evening had been, he was beginning to feel conflicted. Kurt wasn’t sure he could keep things up for much longer--at least not without learning how Blaine felt. _‘I need to ask him straight out.’_

That was easier said than done though. The last thing Kurt wanted was to make things awkward between them. Just because they were both gay didn’t mean they were destined to fall in love. There was nothing wrong in them just remaining friends, even if Kurt wished they could be more. And Blaine had told Brittany he wasn’t interested in dating (or something along those lines). Better to define things now before Kurt let his growing crush on Blaine get out of hand. 

When Blaine returned from the kitchen after refilling their drinks Kurt knew it was time to act. 

“Okay so I’ll probably live to regret this but here goes.” Kurt paused to take another breath. “Have you been flirting with me Blaine? It feels like you have, but I can’t tell for sure, which is why I’m asking.” 

Blaine’s smiling face deadpanned at the question, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to think of an answer. A wave of emotion washed over him, changing finally to what Kurt could only describe as sincerity. “If I were to be perfectly honest with you Kurt, then no, I wasn’t intentionally flirting with you…” 

“Oh,” Kurt said when Blaine paused for a moment, his face falling a little. He had his answer then. It hurt, but at least Blaine was being as gentle as possible with him. 

“But I see now that I was flirting with you whether I realized it or not,” Blaine continued, shuffling a little closer to Kurt. “I’m sorry for confusing you Kurt, that was never my intention.” 

“I didn’t notice we were flirting at first, or rather, I wouldn’t let myself believe that we were.” 

Blaine smiled. “I should have been more aware. I’m rubbish when it comes to realizing… if people are..” His shoulders sagged and he leaned over to run his hands in his hair. 

It might not be the answer Kurt had been hoping for, but he wasn’t about to let Blaine feel like he had done something wrong. “I’m sorry that…” Kurt couldn’t think of what he should apologize for. ‘Sorry that I hoped you would like me.’ ‘Sorry if I wanted us to be boyfriends?’ Kurt shuddered at the thought of saying either of those. 

“You don’t need to apologize Kurt, I’m very flattered…” Blaine was blushing again, which made him look too adorable for words. 

“But?” 

Blaine let out a deep breath. “I’m not what you’d want for a first boyfriend, Kurt. I don’t know the first thing about dating… and that’s mostly been by choice, in addition to my own shortcomings with romance.” He forced himself to straighten back up so he could offer Kurt a kind smile. “I’ve sworn off dating. I know that probably sounds daft, especially for a guy my age, but there are a number of reasons why. The biggest one being that I’m having a hard enough time figuring out how to live on my own and navigate my life, so adding someone else into the mix would be disastrous.” 

As much as Kurt appreciated Blaine’s attempt to let him down gently, he wasn’t making much sense. After all, Blaine wasn’t the only one who felt like that. Maybe he would have bought Blaine’s reasoning better if he didn’t look so conflicted; his hands were clasped tightly together (probably to keep them from shaking) and his shoulders were equally tense. If Kurt were to go on his body language alone, Blaine appeared to be hiding something, but whatever it was wasn’t any of Kurt’s business. He didn’t need to explain his choices to Kurt, and yet he was trying to, even if it was clearly difficult for him. 

“It’s alright Blaine, you don’t need to explain why. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable and I respect your decision not to date of course. I’ve only been out of the closet since May, so it’s not like I’m an expert on relationships either. I’m as naive as you can get actually, so it’s probably a good that _we’re_ \--” Kurt wanted to smack himself on the head. “I mean, that _I’m_ not rushing into anything.” 

“I’m glad you were honest with me.” Blaine touched his shoulder to Kurt’s until he smiled back. “I want us to be truthful with one another so things won’t ever feel weird between us… though I do warn you, I know Brittany and Sam will keep teasing me about you no matter what I tell them.” 

Just the thought of Blaine lying head first down on the lunch table in sheer embarrassment made Kurt laugh, which he really needed right now. “Still friends then?” 

“Of course I want to be friends with you still, Kurt,” Blaine tutted; it was good to hear the playfulness in his voice again. 

Kurt beamed back at him. “Good, then it's settled.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

By the time Kurt left Blaine's apartment it was well into the evening but not so late that he had worn out his welcome. After all that had (and hadn't) happened, Kurt at least knew that Blaine's interest in him didn't go past friendship and while it hurt a bit, he hoped that things would be easier for them from now on. At least Kurt didn't need to analyze every smile, subtle body movement, or spoken word to figure out what Blaine’s intentions were. It was funny though, even after their talk, Kurt and Blaine's playfully charged banter had returned. They kept on chatting to one another and as the night went on, Kurt was more willing to tease Blaine and even do some harmless flirting. Blaine didn't seem to mind either, so Kurt wasn't about to feel guilty about it.

Kurt hummed merrily to himself as he walked down the street, swinging the canvas bag filled with the books Blaine had lent him. He couldn't wait to start reading Blaine's mother's books, not only because he was generally interested in them, but they would be yet another thing to talk to Blaine about. He was in such a good mood that Kurt practically skipped up to the front door of Carlyle Lodge. He brought out his keys, opened the door and glided inside, greeting those who were in sight. Kurt took a quick detour through the kitchen and found Adam there, drinking out of a mug in front on an opened laptop.

“Caffeine at this hour? You guys really do like your tea, huh?” Kurt said cheekily.

Adam looked up at Kurt and smiled at him. “This is decaf and I drink coffee almost as much as tea.” He pointed to Kurt's canvas bag and asked, “Is that full of tea then?”

Kurt shook his head. “Full of books that a kind friend lent to me.”

“Making friends already I see.”

“Yes, to my surprise.”

Seeing how it was getting late, Kurt kept his conversation with Adam short before continuing on to his dorm room. He caught his reflection in the mirror and saw that he was grinning like a fool. Oh well, no one was there to see so he just went with it. Dinner with Blaine had been a blast; he had a much better idea of who Blaine was now. In some ways Blaine was still an enigma to him; his accent--or lack thereof--most of all--which had kept switching back and forth towards the end of his visit. 

“So how was your date?” a voice that sounded a lot like Quinn's asked.

He might not know her very well but the question still irked Kurt enough to roll his eyes at her. “I wish it had been a date. No such luck there though, so if you've come to tease me about Blaine then you're out of luck.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing; we just had a nice time together,” Kurt said matter-of-factly.

“After Blaine kept trying to make you laugh and how you two kept flirting?” Quinn rolled her eyes. “I find that hard to believe.” 

“Blaine doesn’t want to date anyone.” 

Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow. “Did he say why?” 

Kurt shrugged. “Not exactly. He kept going on about how he's bad at romance. I didn't feel like asking to clarify, because it's not like it's any of my business. I'm fine with us staying friends. It makes things easier… and less stressful.” It sure was nice having friends he could talk to. “I came here to make a better life for myself, not to find a boyfriend.” 

“Who knows, Blaine might change his mind about you one day,” Quinn pointed out. 

Kurt was only too aware of that. “Well, I’m not about to get my hopes up. I’m through having secret crushes on boys that won’t go anywhere.” 

“You really like him don’t you?” There was no judgement in Quinn’s voice, only kind understanding. 

“I think so… there’s something about him… something that’s drawing me to him.”

Quinn smiled. “Could it be his good looks, his smoothing sounding voice or his charm?” 

“You noticed that about him too huh?” 

“I'd have to be blind not to... and deaf,” she said. 

“I don't think Blaine realizes the effect he has on others,” Kurt admitted as he sat down on his bed.

“Try not to worry about it too much and just focus on being yourself and what may or may not happen between the two of you,” Quinn advised as she headed out his opened door. 

Kurt’s superficial grin dropped as soon as Quinn was gone. What Kurt needed right now was a good distraction. Fortunately for him, he had the perfect escape already: the novels Blaine had loaned to him. Kurt had planned to start reading the first book tonight anyway so why not start now. He’d never have a better chance; Kurt’s workload from school was light and there was no way he’d be able to fall asleep yet. 

So Kurt dumped the books onto his bed, found the first of the series and once he was nice and comfy, dug in. 

_The first thing you need to know is… don’t blink, blink and you’re dead._ Kurt read, devouring every word; this was going to be good!   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Solitude, for someone like Blaine, who thrived on social interactions, would take some getting used to. Blaine did like how it gave him a chance to go through his thoughts, as well as the many conflicting feelings he was going through. Dinner with Kurt had been pleasant, so much so that he was now second guessing his decision not to date anyone. There was no denying it, Blaine was attracted to Kurt, and not only physically. Kurt pulled at him and made him so confused. He wasn’t used to connecting with someone so easily, he normally had no trouble avoiding romantic attachments.

How was Blaine supposed to deal with this? He wanted to be Kurt’s friend and keep hanging out with him. Any other alternative was out of the question, but he couldn’t stop himself from fearing he would hurt Kurt’s feelings somehow by mistake. It had happened before; Blaine had been so clueless about girls fancying him that he’d left them in tears. 

“What I need is some good old fashioned dad advice,” Blaine sighed. Who better than the Doctor to talk about unwanted romantic feelings and how to deal with them. He wasted no time calling up his dad and anxiously waited for him to pick up. There was no telling where the Doctor and River were now, or what they were getting up to. 

Just before Blaine could think of hanging up, his dad finally answered. “Why if it isn’t my Blainey boy calling me at last! I was beginning to wonder when you would give us a call, Son! I never should have doubted you. Your mother didn’t, she kept saying you’d phone us soon enough!” The Doctor’s voice boomed through Blaine’s phone, never bothering to pause in between words. 

Ears ringing, Blaine asked, “Why are you shouting like that? Is everything okay?” 

“Sorry there, Blaine,” the Doctor said in a lower voice. “Yes everything is fine. Mostly. It’s all happening at once though, just like always. It’s as if the past eighteen years never happened!” 

“Gee thanks,” Blaine said in mock hurt before chuckling. 

“Oh, you know what I meant so don’t you start getting cross with me, Son.” 

Blaine laughed again; he was feeling so much better already and it was all thanks to his dad. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” 

“That’s enough about your mother’s and my wild adventures. I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to; college, drama, theatre, the arts! Did you know that I once acted along side of Nell Gwyen--a.k.a--mistress to King Charles the second?” 

“Dad, you’re doing it again.” Blaine loved his father but he did want to ask him for some advice before the night was over. 

“Sorry, sorry. Now where were we… Ah! Yes! How was your first full day of school? That was today right? If my calculations are right then it should have been.” 

“Very well, I think; there have been no problems. My classes are interesting and I've made a couple of new friends already. I had them over at my flat last night actually, so all in all, I'm doing well on my end.”

“Blaine the social butterfly, as ever eh? Good on you, boy! Way to throw the old Anderson family charm around,” The Doctor said excitedly.

Blaine rolled his eyes, even though his dad couldn't see this; it was just instinct. “I wouldn't go so far to say that, Dad.”

“How are those high school chums of yours; the ones with the matching yellow hair?”

“Brittany and Sam? They're good and trying to adjust to college just as I am. And it’s called blonde not yellow.”

Blaine got so swept up answering his dad's many questions that he forgot all about asking him for advice about Kurt. In a way getting a chance to simply laugh when his dad went on one of his rambling spurts was quite therapeutic. It would probably be better to ask him mother first for romance advice anyway. Then he would ask his dad and hopefully getting both perspectives would help Blaine understand what he should do. 

“So, are you going to mention the video glossaries at all?” Blaine asked.

There was a pause and Blaine imagined that his dad was having one of his rare solemn moments but it was hard to say for sure. “I wasn't sure if I should be the one to. How did you like our gift then, Blaine? Did the video feed work properly? It took me ages to get the settings right!”

“They’ve worked just fine,” Blaine said. “Thanks for making the videos for me Dad. I’m not too far into them yet, I’ve only watched the first one.” He knew he didn’t need to say what the video was about. “I know it must have been hard for you to tell me all that…” 

“It was time for you to know. River thought the video would be easiest way and I’m glad to see she was right. She made a her own entries as well, just so you’re aware, but there are half a dozen more chapters before any of those come up.” 

Blaine asked, “How is Mum anyway? Where is she?” She normally would have appeared by now demanding to speak to her son. 

“Oh you know River,” the Doctor said, chuckling affectionately. “She’s off having fun but before you can begin to worry Blaine, she never goes too far away.” He paused for a moment and Blaine heard the rustling of fabric. “And there she is over by that large crowd of people… well they’re not people--not technically--but the inhabitants of the planet we’re visiting.” The Doctor paused again. “She’s the centre of attention, only I don’t like how that one bloke keeps eying her cleavage. I should have never let her wear that dress.” 

_‘Like you would have been able to stop her,’_ Blaine thought with amusement. “Are you jealous?” 

The Doctor scoffed, “Don’t be absurd, I trust River completely, and she’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself as well. It’s him I’m more worried about, because your mother is seconds away from--” He sucked in his breath. “Oh, that’s unfortunate--for him, and it’s definitely going to leave a mark, but then, she did warn him.” 

Blaine wished he could have seen what was going on, but it was probably better that he didn’t know. “Say hello to her for me won’t you, Dad? I want to talk to her tomorrow about something if possible.” 

“You can count on me!” the Doctor announced; Blaine imagined he had done a salute too. Blaine told his dad his goodbyes and ended the call with a smile on his face. He might not have any answers to his personal problems yet, but he was feeling much better. 

Everything would be fine. He would go to school tomorrow and treat Kurt no differently than when they had first met. On second thought, he knew something would need to be different if he was going to keep things from feeling awkward. But now that Blaine was aware of his attraction towards Kurt and Kurt’s feelings towards him, things should be easier to keep in check from now on. Or so he hoped…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be posted on this upcoming Friday and then the following chapters will be posted weekly on a Friday. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 will be posted in a week and the following chapters every Friday. =)

Chapter Three

Kurt’s phone alarm wouldn’t shut up, it kept on beeping, over and over, until he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Growling with sleepy protest, he pulled his weary body up into a sitting position. When was he going to get use to the time difference? Although in this case his tired state was more due to staying up half the night reading. He really should have known better than to start a new novel series so late last night. Once Kurt had started reading he hadn’t been able to put ‘Time to Run’ down. Lola Robison’s (aka Blaine’s mom) writing had fully captured Kurt, luring him into the story as he devoured page after page. 

It was with great effort on Kurt’s part that he finally forced himself out of bed to get ready for class. This called for desperate measures of the caffeinated kind. The promise of coffee was just enough motivation for Kurt to freshen up and get dressed for the day. Once he was sure he looked presentable, he headed down to the kitchen. 

He was in luck; the lodge’s communal coffee machine had a half-full pot of piping hot coffee in it, so he quickly poured himself a generous mug. Kurt didn’t bother to add any cream or sugar, hoping drinking it black would shock his lagging system into awareness. The overpowering bitter taste hitting his tongue made him shudder, but he managed to drink it down. Standing at the kitchen counter, Kurt continued to sip at his coffee as he waited for the caffeine to kick in. 

Even now, Kurt had to fight the urge to continue reading ‘Time to Run’, so he was glad he’d left the book upstairs. At this rate, it was probably a good idea to leave it at the lodge to help avoid the temptation. 

What Kurt needed right now was a good distraction, and what could be better than sharing his love for the book with the man who had lent it to him. 

_I was up all night reading ‘Time to Run.’ I’m amazed I got any sleep at all! It was that good!_

Blaine’s reply was almost immediate. 

_**Did you really, or are you just saying that to get on my good side?** _

_Like I would lie about that. Your mom's book is so good! I couldn't put it down. Only the need for sleep made me stop reading it._

_**She'll be pleased to hear that; she loves her fans. But now I feel guilty.** _

_Why?_

_**Because you barely got any sleep last night thanks to me.** _

_I'm the one to blame for that Blaine, and I'll live, soon as this coffee kicks in anyway._

_**Glad to hear it. So I'll see you in class then?** _

_Of course, Blaine, I wouldn't miss it for the world. ___

__While Kurt's attention was on the screen of his phone, in stepped Quinn, who went over to pour herself a cup of coffee. “I'd ask you what has you looking so cheerful this early in the morning but it's obvious that you and Blaine are texting one another.”_ _

__“Yes we are.”_ _

__“Is he also the reason why you look so tired?”_ _

__Kurt rolled his eyes. “I wish. I started reading the first book in a series Blaine leant me, you know the one his mom wrote? She is one talented writer; before I knew it I had become totally invested in the story and its characters. It was one head-turning reveal after another. I had to know what happened next, so I spent most of the night reading.”_ _

__“I didn’t realize you’d come all the way to England to spend your nights reading books,” Quinn said._ _

__Was Kurt imagining things or was Quinn actually teasing him? Her little grin seemed to say so, but he didn’t know her well enough yet to know for sure._ _

__“Hey, it beats staying up all night watching trashy television like I did back home.”_ _

__Quinn brought her mug up to hide her face, but Kurt saw the corner of her mouth turn upwards._ _

__All of a sudden, a woman stumbled into the kitchen, mumbling all the way. Even in her obvious half-awake state she looked absolutely stunning in her tight-fit red jumper dress. Yawning loudly, the woman went straight to the coffee pot and poured the remains into a mug. She continued to ignore Kurt and Quinn as she drank her coffee all at once._ _

__She gave the two a quick look over and smirked. “Well, well, well,” she began, leaning against the counter. “Who would have thought the yanks would be such early risers. Or are you two still jet-lagged or something? It would explain the ugly bags under your eyes.”_ _

__The coffee hadn’t kicked in enough for Kurt to be able to say anything witty in reply, so he just mouthed ‘Is she for real?’ to Quinn, who just shrugged at him. He took a big drink from his mug as he narrowed his eyes at the mystery woman. Her British accent told Kurt that she was a local, which he knew already since he and Quinn were the only ‘yanks’ at the lodge. “And you are?”_ _

__“Name’s Santana.” With her coffee apparently done, she helped herself to a bowl of cereal. “You two have names, or are they classified information?”_ _

__Talk about making a bad first impression, but Kurt doubted Santana cared what they thought of her. “I’m Kurt.” He turned to Quinn and waited for her to introduce herself next, except she didn’t, so he added, “And this is Quinn.”_ _

__Now that Kurt had a name to go with the face he decided to study her for a moment. Her full bodied black hair had to be sporting some serious hair extensions for sure, but it was perfectly styled without a strand out of place. At first Kurt had thought her caramel-coloured skin was just a good tan, but he got the feeling it was more due to her heritage--whatever it was, latina maybe? She definitely was gorgeous though, even Kurt had to admit that, and her natural beauty was even more enhanced by her impressive make-up job._ _

__Kurt had never seen her before, but then, this was only his third day staying at the Lodge so that wasn’t too hard to believe. “So what program are you in?” He figured there was no harm in trying to act civil with her._ _

__“Dance,” Santana replied with a mouth full of cereal. “I wasn’t sure what I’d apply for at first. I considered drama for a bit, but long story short, I decided to take a chance with dance instead.” She sighed as she put away her now empty bowl. “We’ll see how it goes. All I know is that anything’s better than musical theatre.”_ _

__“It does take people of a special calibre to aim that high,” Kurt said with a smug grin, turning her potential jab into a compliment. It wasn’t likely that she knew he was a musical theatre student; unless she had guessed somehow? Not that it really mattered either way._ _

__Santana frowned in apparent disappointment. “Don’t tell me you’re--”_ _

__“A musical theatre student?” Kurt answered before she could say anything insulting. “Why yes I am, how sweet of you to ask.”_ _

__Kurt’s refusal to let Santana get the better of him actually seemed to please her, and she smirked at him in what appeared to be mild approval._ _

__“I guess you’re not that bad a guy even if you are a musical theatre student, Kurt.” Santana walked back over to the table and stopped in front of him. “Let me know if you ever wanna hit the gay clubs with me--I know all the good ones. And with an ass like yours, you’ll be an instant hit at every one of them.”_ _

__“Um thanks,” Kurt said, trying not to blush. The fact that Santana had guessed Kurt’s sexual orientation with so little to go on didn’t bother him, since it wasn’t like he was trying to hide it anymore. “But I think I’m good for now. I haven’t been out of the closet for very long, so I’m not ready to face the club scene just yet.”_ _

__Santana shrugged at him. “It’s your loss.” Her sight turned to Quinn, who hadn’t bothered to join the conversation. “What about you, Blondie? Up for it?”_ _

__“Not interested,” Quinn replied without looking up from her phone screen._ _

__“So much for yanks being all about partying then, it’s just our luck that the two we get at the Lodge are just a pair of boring old home bodies. Oh well, that just leaves more fun for me then.” With her insults said, Santana headed out of the kitchen and towards the front door._ _

__Kurt was only too happy for her to leave; he resumed his conversation about the books he’d borrowed from Blaine. He’d barely finished saying the title before Santana, who unbeknownst to them, had still been in earshot, popped back into the kitchen._ _

__“Hold on, you’re a fan of Lola Robinson’s books?” Santana demanded._ _

__“Yes I am.” Wait until he told Blaine about this interesting turn of events. “I just started the first book, but I’m loving it so far.”_ _

__With something in common between them, Santana claimed the open seat beside Kurt and asked, “Which chapter are you on? Have you gotten to the part where she seduces that pol--”_ _

__“Shh!” Kurt hissed, sticking his fingers in his ears. “Don’t you dare ruin anything for me!”_ _

__Any attempts Santana made to accidentally spoil the book for Kurt proved futile when he started to sing loudly to block out her jarring voice. Kurt didn’t care how silly he looked; he was determined to keep every mystery left in the story a secret. Luckily for him, Santana’s patience barely lasted a minute before she finally gave up._ _

__“Try to get out once in awhile okay now, you two,” Satana said on her way out. “We wouldn’t want you to waste coming all this way now would we?”_ _

__Kurt rolled his eyes at her for his answer, sighing when he was certain she was gone for good. “What do you think her deal is, Quinn?”_ _

__“I have no idea,” Quinn replied, her face displaying the same amount of indifference heard in her voice. “And going with what I’ve seen of her so far, I really don’t think I want to find out.”_ _

__“Good call there.”  
________________________________________________________________________________ _

__“Wow, this Santana sure sounds like a real piece of work,” Blaine remarked in bemusement._ _

__It was lunch time and Blaine and Kurt were sitting at their usual table. When they’d first met up that day Kurt had been on edge. At first Blaine thought he was still feeling tired from staying up so late, which made him feel guilty, but then Kurt, who had somehow sensed this, quickly told Blaine that he nor his mum’s book was to blame. It was someone named Santana who had ruined Kurt’s morning apparently, and Blaine soon learned what she had done. Blaine was more than happy to let Kurt vent out his frustrations. It turned out that Kurt was quite the storyteller and while he had nothing to go on, his impression of Santana was very entertaining. The tension in Kurt’s shoulders started to drain and he was finally able to smile again._ _

__“It’s wasn’t that bad,” Kurt admitted when he’d finished retelling the encounter. “And it’s not like she’s any worse than the jerks I had to deal with back home.”_ _

__Blaine’s smile turned into a concerned frown. “I sometimes forget how people can be so cruel to others, and then I’m sadly reminded.”_ _

__“How did you deal with it?”_ _

__“I’d tell myself that prejudice is just ignorance, and that if I stood up to them, then I could help educate them…” Blaine sighed again. “It didn’t always go so well when I tried, and when it didn’t, I’d talk to my friends and family about what I was going through. I’ve found that having a sympathetic ear is a big help.” His parents hadn’t been able to protect him from everything; he’d faced his own fair share of bullies over the years._ _

__Kurt smiled at him shyly as he blushed a little. “I’m finding that out now too.”_ _

__Everything Blaine thought of sounded too flirtatious of a response; Kurt seemed to sense Blaine’s inner struggle (oh god, was he blushing too?) and switched their conversation to more casual things, such as their classes that day. Just as he did back at his apartment, Blaine ignored everyone and everything around him as he talked with Kurt. It wasn’t anything he was doing on purpose, he just couldn’t help himself; Kurt was so fun to be around. He found him so fascinating, and so refreshingly real; Kurt was completely his own person. Blaine envied how Kurt was finally able to openly be himself without having to hold back._ _

__Blaine managed to turn his attention back to Kurt just in time for his friend to mention his mum’s book._ _

__“I’m so glad that Santana didn’t spoil it for you, Kurt.” Blaine remembered how hard it had been not to peek ahead when his mum had been writing her first novel, but his perseverance had paid off in the end._ _

__“So am I, there’s nothing worse than spoiling a good mystery.”_ _

__“Wait until you’re ready to start the second book Kurt, that’s when everything really…” He tried to think of an American idiom he could use. “Kicks into gear.”_ _

__“I’d be careful if I were you, Blaine, or you’re going to make me want to abandon you so I can run back and get it.”_ _

__Blaine knew he was bluffing of course, they both did, but he decided to play along for the sake of fun. “You can if you like, I promise I won’t feel offended.”_ _

__“No it’s fine.” Kurt gave Blaine’s hand a playful pat. “The book will still be there when I head back to my dorm room.”_ _

__As a reward for Kurt staying, Blaine shared a couple of stories from when his mom had been writing her mystery series. His dad had kept pestering River (though it was Melody when he told the story to Kurt) to hurry and finish so he could find out what happened next, and her reaction to this was to tell him false spoilers to pacify him. Blaine had been there when The Doctor (aka John) had found out otherwise._ _

__“What did he do when he found out?” Kurt urged._ _

__Blaine chuckled at the memory. “He made my mum read the first book aloud for him. I didn’t stick around for that though; I hadn’t finished it myself yet.”_ _

__Kurt’s adorable laughter was cut short when a woman suddenly stepped up to their table. “Well, well, well, and who do we have here but the school’s hottest new couple.” Her snide voice perfectly matched her smirking face in addition to her crossed arms._ _

__“Why me,” Kurt muttered under his breath._ _

__It didn’t take much for Blaine to guess the woman's identity; Kurt had described her perfectly, right down to her snarky attitude. This had to be the infamous Santana who Kurt had spent the good part of the morning complaining about._ _

__“Hey there, Kurt,” Santana said when it was clear Kurt wasn’t going to say anything to her. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend over here?”_ _

__Kurt looked up at Santana with less than subtle distaste. “This is my friend Blaine.”_ _

__“Anderson, Hello,” Blaine finished for him, offering his hand in spite of the prickly atmosphere._ _

__“Another import, huh.” She shook his hand. “CSVPA has really lowered their standards when it comes to accepting students.”_ _

__How had Santana noticed his lack of a British accent from hearing him say his surname and hello? Was it that obvious? Blaine hadn’t realized just how differently he sounded until now. Maybe everyone else had simply been too polite to point it out to him._ _

__Blaine took a deep breath. “I’ve lived my whole life in Britain actually--”_ _

__“Spare me the details because I really couldn’t give a crap,” Santana interrupted._ _

__“Then why bother to approach us at all?” asked Kurt._ _

__Santana shrugged. “I’m just upholding Carlyle tradition by greeting a fellow Lodger.”_ _

__“Well you’ve greeted us, so you can go back to whatever depths you came from now.” Kurt’s face held nothing but polite stoicism as he looked up at her. “Blaine and I won’t be offended.”_ _

__“Am I cutting in on your flirting time, boys?” Santana brought out her phone. “You two are so adorable together, mind if I take a photo?” She took one before getting either of their consent though, and even took a few extra shots for the hell of it._ _

__Kurt glared at her with dagger eyes. “You really don’t have any sort of filter do you?”_ _

__“Nope,” Santana confirmed. “Now what should I put for the hashtag on the photo I’m gonna tweet? Got any ideas for me, boys?”_ _

__“How about ‘hereskurtandblainewhowereinnocentlyenjoying theirluncherudelyinterruptedbysantanawhotookandthenpostedthisimagewithoutoftheirpermissionisn't shetheworst’?” Kurt offered all in one breath; how he could keep a straight face (or not take a breath) during was quite the testament._ _

__“That’s more than a hundred and forty characters, Kurt,” Blaine couldn’t help but point out. He might be too mild mannered to speak as freely as Santana, but he could let a little sass out now and then. Not that Kurt needed his help though, it was fascinating to watch how much annoyance could be conveyed in a single brow movement._ _

__Santana didn’t respond to either of their comments and typed something up on her own. Blaine could only imagine what she had written, until she voluntarily held her phone out for them to inspect._ _

__“It’s just a photo of you,” Blaine said. It wasn't even one Santana had just taken; she was dressed in a bikini on a beach._ _

__“I decided to show the internet something they’d want to see rather than two boring gay boys on a lunch date.” Santana put her phone back into her cleavage._ _

__“It's not a lunch date,” Kurt said, rolling his eyes._ _

__“Well it should be.” Santana gestured to Blaine, who had been innocently eating his lunch. “Blaine is obviously as gay as you are and just as smitten.”_ _

__“Maybe _you_ should focus on your own love life instead of meddling with ours?” Kurt replied. _ _

__A tense second (at least for Blaine) passed before Santana shrugged at them. “Fine then, have it your way and keep lying to yourselves that you’re just friends.” She must love getting the last word, because Santana strutted off before any reply comment could be given--not that Blaine was planning to make any._ _

__Blaine let out a breath of relief. “I see what you meant about her.”_ _

__“Lucky for us that she seems to have a short attention span.”_ _

__“Well, we have nine minutes of lunch left to enjoy without her, so I say we should try to make the best of them.”_ _

__Eyes fluttering, Kurt leaned closer to Blaine. “What did you have in mind?”_ _

__“Um.” Blaine hadn’t meant for his voice to sound so flirty, but at least his accent hadn’t reverted this time. “I thought we could talk more about ‘Time to Run’ and what you thought of it.”_ _

__“But no spoilers.” Kurt was still smiling at him, so if he had been expecting a different answer then he was doing a good job of hiding it._ _

__“No spoilers, I promise,” Blaine assured, chuckling._ _

__Before they both knew it, Kurt and Blaine were back to their old playful selves as they shared their passion for ‘Time to Run.’ And with no Santana around to point it out, the pair were blissfully unaware of how obvious their mutual attraction to each other was to those around them. Blaine was too busy laughing at Kurt’s witty remarks. He was impressed at how close he was to solving the mystery of the first novel. He was off in a few instances, but Blaine doubted anyone could anticipate River’s climatic ending--he sure hadn’t, and neither had the Doctor. That was part of the fun though, and Blaine wished he could be there to see the moment when Kurt reached the plot twist to see his reaction._ _

__By the time their nine minutes were up, Blaine thought it was time well spent indeed.  
_______________________________________________________________________________ _

__After getting two unpleasant doses of Santana in one day, Kurt was very happy to be invited to hang out with Sam, Brittany and Blaine in Sam's dorm room once class was over. And he especially didn't mind being pressed so closely to Blaine on Sam's bed--even if Brittany was just as near on his other side._ _

__“Well, isn't this _intimate_ ,” Kurt said with a bemused grin. _ _

__“I thought Blaine said you’re in a dorm room too,” Sam pointed out._ _

__“Maybe he lives in a castle; it would explain why he looks like royalty,” interrupted Brittany._ _

__Kurt sighed. “I am sadly neither royalty, nor living in a castle. I’m over at Carlyle Lodge.”_ _

__“Lucky you, I tried to get in there but all the spots were taken.” Sam shook his head. “ That’s what you get for leaving it too late I guess.”_ _

__“I barely got in myself, but this isn’t so bad. I mean, a dorm room is a dorm room right?” Kurt glanced at Blaine and gave his shoulder a friendly nudge. “Unless you’re fortunate enough to have your own apartment.”_ _

__Blaine’s cheeks flushed pink. “If I were to have stayed in a dorm, Carlyle Lodge would have been at the top of my list.”_ _

__As distracting as Blaine’s adorable blushing face was, Kurt noticed that Sam kept discreetly eying Brittany’s chest area during their conversation. It didn’t take much to guess what that was all about, not when Sam went so far as to drape his arm over his girlfriend’s shoulder. Someone was looking to get laid, and that someone was Sam, whose girlfriend seemed totally unaware of the fact. Brittany was cuddled up against Sam as she chatted with Blaine for a moment. What surprised Kurt was that Sam made no attempts to let his wishes be known, at least not in words, which was polite of him._ _

__

__Kurt decided to cut the poor soul a break. “You know, I’d be happy to give a tour of Carlyle if any of you are interested.”_ _

__“I’d be up for a tour, Kurt,” Blaine instantly replied._ _

__“That could be fun,” Brittany began but then Sam whispered into her ear and she flash him an awkward smile. “Um, actually…. I think Sam and I are going to stay here…”_ _

__“You two probably want some alone time I’m sure,” Kurt said, winking at Sam, who mouthed ‘thanks’ in response. Rising from the bed, Kurt turned to Blaine and asked, “Shall we, Blaine?”_ _

__“Right.” Blaine leaned over to punch Sam on the shoulder lightly before he followed Kurt to the front door._ _

__Now out in the hallway, Kurt took the lead as Blaine walk alongside of him. The sun was waiting for them when the two freshman walked out of the dorm’s front entrance. The threat of rain had held off enough that there were only a couple clouds left in the sky. Kurt took a deep breath of the fall air; he was glad it was September. August was apparently the hottest time of year in Cambridge. He wasn’t all that worried about getting too overheated, but he was still glad that autumn was finally here. His days of trying to survive the summer in Ohio were over, Kurt was in Jolly Old England--at long last--and he was looking forward to discovering how the weather conditions differed._ _

__“What’s your favourite season, Blaine?” Kurt asked._ _

__Blaine blinked in surprise. “I’m not actually sure if I have a favourite… I’ll need to think about it more…”_ _

__“Mine’s Autumn.”_ _

__“And why is that?”_ _

__“It’s pretty simple Blaine, autumn means wearing layers, but not so much that you have to bulk up for the winter, and best of all, autumn is scarf season and I happen to love scarves.” Sure designer scarves weren’t cheap, but Kurt was a keen bargain hunter and he’d managed to form quite the collection already. Kurt had brought eleven of his favourites along, much to his dad’s amusement._ _

__The scarf that Kurt was currently wearing was his favorite at the moment and it showed; he’d worn it for three days in a row, which was a record for him. Kurt couldn’t help it, scarves by Paul Smith were one of his biggest weaknesses; he owned four so far and he adored each one of them. This one was a blend of cashmere and lambswool, and its double face in navy and blue had a nice contrasting effect._ _

__“My dad loves scarves too,” Blaine said. “He used to wear this big long multicoloured one a while back.”_ _

__“I know it’s probably not cold enough to wear something like this but I couldn’t help myself,” Kurt said, twirling the left end of his scarf around in a playful manner._ _

__Blaine chuckled. “It suits you. Is it by Paul Smith?”_ _

__“Good scarf eye, Blaine.” Kurt somehow managed to hide his astonishment. “It is by Paul Smith.”_ _

__“I’m a big fan of the brand; I have a couple scarves by them too.” Blaine grinned. “I can’t even tell you how many sweaters of theirs I own.”_ _

__“You’ll have to show them to me next time I visit your place.”_ _

__The boy’s banter went from playful to downright flirtatious by the time Kurt and Blaine made it to the street Carlyle Lodge was on. At first Kurt was oblivious to it, more or less, but he soon started to pick up on it. As for Blaine, he seemed to remain utterly clueless for the whole journey, which meant one of two things; either he was truly blind to their growing chemistry, or he was fully aware and doing his best to ignore it._ _

__Kurt wasn’t sure which option he prefered, but knowing his luck with romance, it was most likely the second one._ _

__“Is everything all right, Kurt?” Blaine asked, pulling Kurt away from his thoughts._ _

__“Not exactly…” Kurt hadn’t realized he’d stopped walking. While Kurt didn’t want to make this an issue, he had promised to be honest with Blaine. “But there is something on my mind…”_ _

__“You can share anything with me.”_ _

__Kurt nodded. “Am I being too forward with you?”_ _

__“I’m not sure what you mean…” The fact that Blaine didn’t understand was actually encouraging to hear; it meant things hadn’t gone too far._ _

__“Am I acting too flirtatious with you?” Kurt clarified. “I wasn’t planning on saying anything, but I can’t stop thinking that maybe I am. Half the time I don’t mean to, it just happens, and by the time I realize I’m enjoying myself too much to stop… like just now during our walk here.”_ _

__In the span of fifteen minutes Kurt had smirked, fluttered his eyes and giggled more times than his entire sophomore year of highschool._ _

__“Part of me is telling me that I’m worrying for nothing, but people have started to notice; you heard Santana go on during lunch and then there’s Sam and Brittany.”_ _

__Smiling gently, Blaine held up his hand to politely interrupt Kurt. “First off; I wouldn’t take anything Santana says seriously and as for my friends, it doesn’t take much for them to tease me when it comes to guys.” He laid his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “And to answer your question; no, I don’t think you’re being too flirtatious with me.”_ _

__“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”_ _

__Blaine shook his head as he put his arm back down. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” There was no chance he was acting this time; the sincerity in his soft hazel eyes was far too clear. “How about this; why don’t we stop worrying about what everyone else might think and focus on getting to know each other better--as friends--and if there’s ever a time when we feel uncomfortable, we’ll discuss it honestly with one another--just like we’re doing right now.”_ _

__While it wasn’t a confession of love, Blaine was trying his best to be honest with Kurt, and that meant a great deal to him. “I can do that.”_ _

__“And just so you are aware, I do feel attracted to you, Kurt.”_ _

__Kurt’s eyes widened in surprise. “You do?”_ _

__“Yes.” Blaine was blushing now. “I hope telling you that won’t make things… awkward for us. I didn’t want you to think that I don’t find you appealing.”_ _

__“I don’t feel awkward, I’m…” Kurt couldn’t put his feelings into words without embarrassing himself. “No one’s said that to me before.” For the longest time Kurt had been worried that no one would be interested in him. Blaine hadn’t fallen for him, but he was attractive to him, and if someone as handsome as Blaine thought that, then maybe there was hope for Kurt yet._ _

__“So um.” Blaine shuffled his feet beside Kurt. “Are you all right with us hanging out together knowing what you know now?”_ _

__Kurt nodded without any hesitation. “Yes Blaine, I want to be your friend still.” He wished he could end it at that, but the subject was far from over. “It’s not as if two gay men who happen to be single can’t have a platonic relationship, but it might be tougher for us… since we are attracted to one another.”_ _

__“There will probably be instances when things could get flirty, and our friends will no doubt tease us about it.” Blaine sighed before smiling sheepishly._ _

__“Let them.” Kurt flashed a superior grin. “Are you ready to start your tour of Carlyle Lodge?”_ _

__“Lead the way,” Blaine replied with a little bow._ _

__Now that they had touched base with one another, Kurt and Blaine were more than happy to return to their natural and carefree rapport. Blaine followed Kurt--who was humming away--as he strode up the front steps and opened the door for them._ _

__Blaine waited for Kurt to open it, but for some reason he didn’t. “Is something the matter, Kurt?”_ _

__“I just realized Santana could be lurking inside somewhere…” And knowing her, she would pop out from nowhere and star taunting them without remorse. Just the thought of such a scenario sent a shiver down Kurt’s spine._ _

__“I’m surprised you’re letting one mouthy girl dictate your actions,” Blaine said with a teasing grin._ _

__“You’re right Blaine, what am I doing?” he muttered. His days of letting people push him around were over. Kurt opened the front door and loud cheering erupted from within, which sent Blaine and Kurt staggering back in shocked surprise._ _

__Blaine was the first one to recover. “There must be a match on tonight.”_ _

__“I should have known, it’s all about football here isn’t it?” Kurt said, making sure not to call it soccer, just in case anyone inside could hear him. Once he got his racing heart under control, Kurt bravely entered the building and there was indeed a game going on, and judging by the amount of people crammed into the small living room, it seemed to be an important one as well._ _

__One blond head looked away from the screen and waved invitingly at Kurt and Blaine. “Hi there, Kurt,” Adam shouted over the TV. “You should come watch the match! It’s a real close one!”_ _

__Kurt shook his head. “Thanks but I’ve got company.”_ _

__“The more the merrier! There’s bound to be someplace you two can cram in ‘ere…”_ _

__“No, it’s fine.” Kurt held up his hands and waved them back in forth. “We’re good.”_ _

__Adam shrugged. “All right then, but you’re still welcome to join us if you change your mind.”_ _

__“You didn’t want to watch the game, right?” Kurt asked Blaine as they made their hasty retreat up the stairs._ _

__Blaine chuckled. “No I’m good. I’ve honestly never been much of a sports fan. I may watch a match now and then, but I’m not what you’d call a passionate follower.”_ _

__“I’m definitely not what you’d call a sports fan,” Kurt confessed. “My dad’s an American football follower though.”_ _

__“My dad enjoys a good match, but I think he’d much rather be right in the thick of things than merely spectating. We used to play a lot of different sports in the backyard. He’s a surprisingly good rugby player; I’ve never been able to beat him at it.”_ _

__“In my case, I preferred throwing tea parties; boy was I lucky my dad was such a good sport about it.” He smiled at the memory of seeing his dad attempt to daintily bring the tiny teacup he was holding to his lips._ _

__When they made it to the top of the stairs Kurt ushered Blaine to follow him into his dorm room. “I’m sure glad I have company while the game’s on, Blaine.” A burst of shouting from downstairs interrupted them and Kurt chuckled. “I doubt I could read with all the ruckus going on.”_ _

__Kurt’s room was even more sparse than Blaine’s flat; the walls were blank, and there was barely anything on the night stand, or the dresser, and the only things in the single bookcase were Kurt’s school books. There was barely any hint of a personal touch to be seen._ _

__“I see what you meant when you said you didn’t bring much with you,” Blaine observed._ _

__Kurt sighed. “I needed all the room in my luggage for clothes. I did bring some photos along, I’m just waiting to find some good picture frames to display them in.” He went over to his bag where his small collection was being stored. “Here,” he said, holding one out in front of Blaine. “This is my favourite photo that I brought.”_ _

__Carefully taking it from Kurt, Blaine held the photo by the sides to avoid smudging it by accident. It was a photo from Kurt’s high school graduation day; he was in his red cap and gown with his beaming family surrounding him. “That’s my dad Burt, my step-mom Carole and my step-brother Finn.”_ _

__“You all look very close,” Blaine said, smiling._ _

__“We are, but we still have our moments; my dad married Carole two years ago. Before that it was just my dad and me for the longest time; my mom died when I was seven.”_ _

__“I’m sorry to hear that, Kurt.”_ _

__Kurt’s smile fell a little. “I still miss her of course, some days more than others, but I’m glad my dad found someone.”_ _

__The pain in Kurt’s soft voice was almost non existent, but Blaine heard it all the same and the sound of it tugged at his heartstrings. He barely managed to stop himself from reaching out to hug Kurt, it just didn’t feel like a good idea to him--not after the talk they’d just had. But Blaine still wanted to be a good friend to him somehow._ _

__“We should go shopping soon so you can put your room--and my flat--in order.” Blaine said._ _

__“Yes we should,” Kurt agreed; his smile already looking a little brighter._ _

__Blaine watched as Kurt tucked his photo away for safekeeping._ _

__“But for now…” Kurt turned back around with the borrowed copy of ‘Time to Run.’ “Maybe we can go back to talking about your mom’s book and how amazing it is? Because I feel like I haven’t gushed about it nearly enough.”_ _

__“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Sam and Brittany meant well but they didn’t share Blaine’s passion for his mum’s books. The last time he’d ask either of them about her books Sam had admitted he hadn’t finished the third book yet, and Brittany started rambling about how the books should be read in opposite order to make sense. So, needless to say, Blaine had been dying to find a proper reading buddy. “What’s your favourite thing about it so far, Kurt?”_ _

__Kurt’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I hardly know where to start! How about the fact that I’m not normally into mystery books, and yet I found myself riveted just from the start! There’s just so much going on all at once--one of the reasons I was up so late last night is I kept on going back and re-reading parts--not because I didn’t understand things, but because I wanted to make sure I hadn’t missed a single detail.”_ _

__There was no denying it, Kurt was well on the way to becoming a Lola-Lover (as River’s fan’s so lovingly called themselves). Blaine was ecstatic, so much so that he had to fight to keep his excitement in check (and by extension, his accent from reverting)._ _

__“I dunno how your mom can weave such a complex tapestry of information and somehow not give too much away at the same time!”_ _

__If only River were here to see Kurt’s adorable antics for herself, actually on second thought, Blaine was glad that she wasn’t. His mum would have taken one look at Kurt and pulled him in for a warm embrace before he could get another adoring word out._ _

__“And don’t get me started on the characters, Blaine! I mean, Carmen is amazing; I love how she uses her sultry looks, as well as her sharp mind, to solve cases. It shows that women can be beautiful and brilliant, and she’s certainly that and more. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and will go to any lengths to get it.”_ _

__The characteristics Kurt was describing were nearly identical to River,but then, she had basically written Carmen as a toned down version of herself (mixed with some of the Doctor’s past female companions). Pretty much all of the characters in the series were loosely based off of real life people, including Kent, who had been modelled off of the Doctor of course. Blaine wasn’t completely sure what parts of her books were pure fiction or were taken from real life events. All he knew was his mum was smart enough to blur the lines just enough so no suspicions would be raised._ _

__Kurt sat down on his bed. “I think my favourite part so far is where Kent was introduced. It’s so obvious that he and Carmen are into each other right from the start. The flirty dialogue between them has sure been a fun read.”_ _

__“Can I tell my mum about your flattering review next time I speak to her, Kurt? She loves hearing from her fans,” Blaine asked, sitting beside him._ _

__“Feel free. I would tell her myself but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet; maybe when I’m done the whole series.”_ _

__Blaine’s phone started to ring; that was probably Sam calling to brag about how lucky he’d gotten. Just to be sure, he brought out his phone to check and saw that it wasn’t Sam, it was his mother. “It’s my mum, I forgot that I asked her to call me today.”_ _

__“Don’t ignore her for my sake, Blaine,” Kurt urged._ _

__“Thanks.” Blaine highly doubted River would use his phone to track him down, but Kurt might overhear something he shouldn’t was a potential risk. “Hello Mum? Can you hold on for just a moment?” Covering the speaker area with his hand to lessen her hearing anything, Blaine gave Kurt a sheepish smile. “I hate to ask, but would you mind if I take this out in the hall? I tend to get obnoxiously loud when I speak to my family and I don’t want to torture you.”_ _

__Kurt smiled. “Sure.”_ _

__“I’ll keep it short, thanks,” Blaine muttered, dahsing out of the room and stopping three doors down the hall. “Sorry about that, are you still with me, Mum?”_ _

__“Oh, I’m still here all right; I wouldn’t dream of hanging up before finding out what that was all about,” River replied in her typical sassy voice._ _

__“Nothing’s going on. I’m just visiting with a friend.” He knew better than to try to hide the truth from her, but maybe he could spare a few details._ _

__“This wouldn’t be the same friend you had dinner with last night now would it?” River asked matter-of-factly._ _

__Maybe not. “I take it dad told you?”_ _

__“Over breakfast. What was his name again?”_ _

__Blaine was able to see through his mother’s innocent act even without the visual proof; her playful voice said it all. “It’s Kurt--”_ _

__“So your father was right and your new friend is a boy!” River said, cutting him off. “You never know with him, so I didn’t want to assume. What is he like? Is he gorgeous? I bet he is; the Andersons have a things for lookers, but don’t we all.”_ _

__Why was it that everyone seemed to think that just because he and Kurt were both gay it meant that they were star-crossed lovers? Blaine had expected Sam and Brittany to give him a hard time, but his mum? River should really know better than to make such an assumption--especially when she didn’t know anything about Kurt beyond his name._ _

__Running a hand down his face, Blaine pleaded, “Mum, would you please give it a rest?”_ _

__“Sorry Honey, I guess I got a little too excited at the idea of my little boy finding someone,” River apologized with convincing sincerity._ _

__“It’s okay.” Blaine was fine to let the issue drop. “I met him at school; Kurt’s a freshman from America and is in the musical theatre program. We’re in the same classes save for one--we started talking yesterday and hit it off; we have a lot in common.”_ _

__“That’s wonderful to hear, Blaine.”_ _

__Blaine looked at the time. “Speaking of Kurt, he’s probably wondering what’s keeping me…”_ _

__“Don’t tell me you’re out in the hallway.” River sighed when Blaine didn’t deny her claims. “I had no idea you were so ashamed of your mother.”_ _

__Since she couldn’t see him Blaine snorted instead of rolling his eyes. “I really should be getting back, Mum...”_ _

__“I’ll let you go only if you’ll promise to visit your father and I at home this Sunday,” River said._ _

__Blaine let out a sigh of relief. “I promise, and I’ll see you both on Sunday. Love you, bye.” For the longest time, the Doctor and River had been two people without a home to call their own. That had all changed once Blaine had been born. From that moment on, no matter where they were, be it on the Tardis or living in Cambridge, the three of them were always connected to each other no matter where they were._ _

__Politeness urged him to hurry back into Kurt’s room and he found his friend right where he’d left him sitting on his bed (though he was reading now). “Sorry about that,” he muttered as he closed the door behind him. “I’m not being a very good friend to you, am I?”_ _

__“You weren’t gone for that long, Blaine.” Kurt set his book down; his warm smile putting Blaine’s worrisome mind at ease._ _

__“My mum wanted to hear what’s school's been like so far; she and dad are off on a long holiday.”_ _

__“My dad’s been calling me tons ever since I got here. I don’t mind it though, it’s helping me keep from getting too homesick.”_ _

__“I think we could use some refreshments don’t you, Blaine?” Kurt said._ _

__Blaine rose from the bed the same time as Kurt did. “I’ll keep you company.”  
______________________________________________________________________________ _

__When Kurt arrived for class the next morning Blaine was surprised to see him looking so bright and alert. Blaine was feeling a little groggy himself after how late he’d ended up staying at Kurt’s last night. It was Quinn who had knocked on the door to inform them it was nearing one-thirty in the morning. Blaine hadn’t been able to settle down when he’d made it home but fortunately he didn’t need as much sleep as regular humans did._ _

__“You look well rested,” Blaine said once Kurt was within earshot._ _

__“Ah, this is mostly a lie; I needed a full cup of coffee again this morning. _Black_.” Kurt shuddered. “I’ve got to be careful or I could become too dependant on caffeine at this rate.” _ _

__The pair of friends claimed their regular seats and sat down beside one another. Blaine let out a quiet yawn. He had always tried to avoid drinking coffee; seeing his dad bouncing around their living room after drinking an espresso had been a true sight to behold. Tea was a much safer option, and there were so many different types to choose from. Tea time at the Anderson household was practically a tradition and one Blaine and his parents upheld to this day. He was looking forward to sitting down to tea with his mum and dad on Sunday._ _

__“Did you do any reading?” Blaine asked._ _

__Kurt nodded. “I finished the first book; there wasn’t much left so it didn’t take me too long. Except now I’m dying to start the second one.”_ _

__“Let me know when you’re awake enough to talk about the ending,” Blaine said with a smirk._ _

__“I should be by lunch,” Kurt yawned. “It won’t be easy, but I think I’ll have to limit myself to reading it in my spare time.”_ _

__This was just the opening Blaine had been waiting for. “In that case, would you like to hang out with Britt, Sam and me today again? And Quinn, if she’s free and would care to join us.” Blaine knew his friends would be up for it, but he would send them a text soon just to be safe. The hard part would be keeping them from suggesting they to go a club._ _

__“That sounds good to me, Blaine, and I’m sure I can get Quinn to come along too. It would be nice to walk around town more. Quinn and I got lost the last time we went out, which was pretty pitiful considering there’s GPS apps for phones now,” Kurt said._ _

__Blaine grinned. “Brittany gets lost all the time and she’s lived in Cambridge her whole life.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________ _

__As soon as their first class was over, Blaine pulled Kurt aside, his hands lingering on Kurt’s shoulders once they were safely out of the path of foot traffic. His friend seemed to be bursting with excitement over something; his eyes were wide and shining, and his body was vibrating in anticipation. Kurt’s heart skipped a beat; he had no idea what had Blaine in such high spirits._ _

__“Hey Kurt, wait a moment, there’s something I want to ask you,” Blaine whispered; there he went touching Kurt again (on the arm this time)._ _

__Kurt couldn’t stop his eyes from fluttering. “Um, okay.”_ _

__“Do you have any plans for the weekend yet?”_ _

__“You mean aside from dorm room organization?” Kurt tried to keep his racing heart in check before he embarrassed himself. It might sound as if Blaine was about to ask him out on a date, and he might have believed it possible, if he and Blaine hadn’t had their heartfelt talk yesterday._ _

__Blaine was beaming now and still holding onto Kurt’s arm. “I thought we could go on that shopping trip we talked about before? Not only would you be able to start filling up that bare dorm room of yours, you could help me pick things out for my flat, and I can help you get your bearings around town as well.”_ _

__Just because their outing technically wouldn’t be a date didn’t mean Kurt wasn’t allowed to get excited at the idea._ _

__“That would be amazing Blaine, thank you!”_ _

__When they made it to vocal class, Kurt felt as if he were gliding on air. It didn’t matter if he didn’t get any chances to read over the weekend, because the only mystery he wanted to solve was how much better Kurt’s life could get now that Blaine was in it.  
__________________________________________________________________________________ _

__Lunch break gave Blaine an unexpected chance to plan a few possible surprises for Kurt for their Saturday shopping plans. He was so engrossed in thought that he had barely touched his meal. Good thing he wasn’t feeling that hungry. What Blaine wanted to do right now was find the perfect bunch of stores to take Kurt to, anything else--even food--could wait._ _

__Blaine’s eyes were glued to the screen of his phone, so he didn’t notice Sam approaching him._ _

__“Hey Blaine, where’s Kurt?”_ _

__“Off reading,” Blaine replied without looking up._ _

__Sam frowned. “Did you two have a row or something?”_ _

__“Why would you think that?” Blaine asked, not bothering to hide the mild annoyance in his voice at the question._ _

__Shrugging, Sam sat joining him at the table. “I just thought he’d be with you. You two usually eat lunch together.” Blaine’s less than subtle glare seem to be enough for Sam to let the issue drop. “What are you doing then?”_ _

__“Kurt and I are going nicknack shopping on Saturday, so I was looking for places to take him,” Blaine answered nonchalantly._ _

__“Going on a proper date finally?” Sam gave Blaine’s shoulder an affectionate slap. “Good for you, mate. I was beginning to think you’d never get the courage to ask him. Not Brittany though, she had complete faith that you’d come around.”_ _

__It amazed Blaine how everyone seemed to conveniently forget that he and Kurt had known each other for less than week._ _

__“It’s not a date; Kurt and I are still only friends, Sam,” Blaine warned, though he minded to keep his voice playful still._ _

__Instead of making any sort of reply comment, Sam eyed him warily; Blaine suppressed a sigh. “Is there something on your mind?”_ _

__“I know you mean well, Blaine…” Sam draped his arm over Blaine’s shoulder. “But saying that it’s not a date doesn’t mean it still isn’t one, not when you and Kurt are so obviously keen on each other. What I’d really like to know is why you’re trying to keep Kurt at an arm’s length in the first place.”_ _

__“I’m not… we’re not…” Blaine was trapped with no place to run._ _

__“I can tell you like him, and he clearly fancies you just as much, so what’s the problem?”_ _

__Blaine sighed deeply. “It doesn’t matter if I like him or not… you know better than anyone how I’m utter rubbish when it comes to romance. You’ve been there for all of my big crushes, and all the times I’d mistakenly lead someone on without realizing.”_ _

__“This is nothing like any of those times Blaine, and you know it. We’re in college now, so I’d say it’s about time for you to stop being so stubborn and give romance a chance. Aren’t you always telling Brittany how happy she and I look?”_ _

__Yet again Blaine wished he could tell Sam the truth, but since that wasn’t possible, he was left to make up silly excuses. “It’s not that simple Sam…” In his growing frustration Blaine muttered, “You don’t know what it’s like for me.”_ _

__“And who’s fault is that?” Sam replied. “How can I try to understand what you’re going through if you won’t tell me, Blaine?”_ _

__Blaine flinched. “I know… I’m sorry Sam, I never meant to--”_ _

__“I know you didn’t,” Sam interrupted with a gentle smile. “That’s why you’re still my best mate.” He let go of Blaine, but not before cuffing his shoulder. “And because you are, I’m going to let you keep telling yourself that you and Kurt are better off as friends, even if I think you’re making a big mistake.”_ _

__Deep down Blaine knew that for all of his constant teasing, Sam was looking out for him in his own wholesome way. It still didn’t make having to keep so much from him any easier. If anything, it was a sign that hiding the truth would be far more difficult as time went on. What could he do though? It wasn’t as if Blaine could tell him about his heritage. Blaine trusted Sam of course, but keeping his friends ignorant kept them safe as well. Maybe it was time for him to talk to his parents--not to ask them if he could reveal anything, but to get their advice on the matter._ _

__He’d worry about it later though, because Blaine saw a familiar figure off in the distance and smiled. “We’re over here, Kurt!”_ _

__Sam took one look at Blaine’s beaming face as he waved Kurt over and politely excused himself, leaving the pair to flirt to their heart’s content._ _

__“Good luck on staying just friends there, Blaine,” Sam said, grinning to himself, but his words fell on deaf ears because Blaine was too absorbed in Kurt’s company to notice anything else, so he left them to carry on pretending that they weren’t made for one another._ _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Wednesday and Thursday went by so fast that before Blaine knew it, Friday night had come and he was on his own for once. He and Kurt had mutually decided not to hang out tonight since they were meeting up tomorrow for their shopping trip. Kurt had confessed that he hadn’t gotten very far with ‘Angels in the Basement’ (the sequel to ‘Time to Run’) and was dying to get back to reading it. 

Blaine was about to start his night of watching television on the couch when his doorbell rang. Frowning in annoyed confusion, he got up to see who it could be. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and it couldn’t be his parents; they would have called first and arrived via Tardis in his living room. 

Brittany’s beaming face greeted Blaine when he opened the door. “Surprise! Guess who decided to drop by?” Her smile didn’t diminish despite Blaine’s lackluster response. “It’s me, Brittany S Pierce, and don’t worry, I haven’t come empty handed,” she added, holding up a six pack of beer. “I brought us some drinks.” 

Goodbye night of solitude. Oh well. Blaine wasn’t that put out by her showing up like this. It had been quite some time since he and Brittany had spent any quality time together on their own. Brittany was an excellent confidant, and she was always good for a laugh. 

“You are on your own right?” Brittany asked, peering inside. “Sammy said you weren’t hanging out with Kurt tonight.”

“I am alone, but you’re more than welcome to join me, Britt,” Blaine replied as he welcomed her with a hug. 

With beers in hand, Brittany skipped through Blaine’s door and went over to the kitchen counter to unload the goods. Once her hands were free she rushed into his arms; laughing, Blaine dished it right back. Her cheery demeanour was so infectious and Blaine had sured missed it. 

“I know you're not much of a drinker but trust me, the beer I bought is worth it. It's made with genuine water from the Rocky mountains!”

Blaine didn't have the heart to tell her how that wasn't the least bit possible. “I suppose one beer couldn't hurt.”

“Or maybe two?” Brittany added, grinning and wiggling her eyebrows. 

While Blaine enjoyed Kurt’s company, his new friend had nothing on Brittany, who Blaine felt at complete ease with. It wasn’t long before they were cuddled together on the couch. Neither of them was paying attention to what was on the telly; they were too focused on catching up. Brittany rested her head on his shoulder and let out a content sigh. It felt nice to share innocent human contact with someone he trusted. His parents had always showered Blaine with affection and had never bothered to stop. It was funny how he and Brittany could sit so close together and not have it be a big deal, and yet if he and Kurt were to… on second thought, it would be best not to picture that scenario. 

“This lot isn’t half bad actually,” Blaine admitted, finishing off the last of his beer. He wasn’t going to let himself have more than two though no matter how good it tasted. 

“Mmm,” Brittany replied. “I can almost taste the Rocky Mountains all the way from here.” 

As he searched for something to talk about, it suddenly dawned on Blaine that he didn’t know what was going on in his two best friends’ lives. He’d been too busy focusing on his own life--and his growing friendship with Kurt--to notice much else. Well that was about to change; starting right now and with Brittany. 

“So what was your first week of class like, Britt?”

“It’s been great! The dance program is amazing. I’m learning so much already, and there’s this girl who’s in a lot of my classes that’s been really fun to chat with. She totally gets me Blaine, she doesn’t look at me like I’m stupid whenever I talk to her. She just smiles and laughs sometimes, and it’s the nice kind of laughing too.”

Brittany’s grinning face was all the proof Blaine needed to know she wasn’t elaborating things to put him at ease. Good for her. Brittany didn’t have any close female friends. “She sounds like someone I’d like to meet. The sooner you introduce her, the sooner we can invite her to hang out.”

“I bet Santana would love that. I’ll bring her to meet you all on Monday.” 

The second Blaine heard Brittany say the name Santana his smile deadpanned and his eyebrows arched in alarm. “Hang on, is this the same Santana who is staying at Carlyle Lodge?” 

“You mean you’ve met her already, Blaine? I should have known. I bet you run into her all the time with how much you’re there visiting Kurt. This actually makes a lot of sense now. That must be why she started laughing when I told her about you. I thought it was because she thought your name sounded funny or something.” Brittany’s eyes widened. “Oh! Then you must be the clueless bloke who’s pining over some yank she told me about two days ago. How did I not realize that on my own?” 

A sudden chill ran through Blaine as a concerning thought entered his mind, putting him on edge at the mere possibility. “Brittany… you didn’t tell her anything about me, did you?” It wasn’t as if Blaine had much to hide--not that Brittany was aware of anyway--but if Santana’s ‘pining’ comment was any clue, there was no telling what embarrassing information about him might have been revealed.

“Loads of things. She kept asking for cute stories about you,” Brittany answered, totally clueless to Blaine’s rising anxiety. 

Blaine fought to remain calm but it wasn’t easy when he thought about all of the ‘cute’ stories Brittany knew. Then again, even Blaine’s most embarrassing moments were nothing to be ashamed of. There was no real dirt of any sort that Santana could have learned, so what did it matter in the end? 

“What? Why have your eyebrows gone all crossed and angry looking, Blainey?” Brittany put her beer down on coffee the table. “Are you mad that Santana said you’re pinning over Kurt?” 

Blaine snorted. “No, but while we’re at it, I’m not pinning over anyone, let alone Kurt.” 

“Nobody’s saying you have to pin Kurt to the floor to get him to make out with you. You should just kiss him when you’re both standing up--at least to set the mood and then you can go horizontal after that. Or maybe Kurt would like it better if he straddled you…” 

Anything else Brittany went on to suggest as she rambled on about the endless possibilities were lost on Blaine, who was busy trying to wipe the mental images from his mind. This was one of those times when having a vivid imagination wasn’t helpful. 

“I said pinning not pining, Britt,” Blaine muttered as he tried not to blush. “And who says I want to kiss Kurt in the first place?” 

“You say with your eyes every time you so much as look at him. Whenever you two are together it’s not long before you both start dreamily staring into each other eyes like you’re two gay Disney princes from a new controversial animated movie.” 

“You’re talking utter rubbish, Brittany.” He knew he smiled a lot when Kurt was around but it wasn’t as if Blaine thought Kurt hung the moon when he looked at him. 

“You don’t need to feel embarrassed about it Blaine, I think it’s sweet and so does Sam.” 

_'Where's a Tardis when you need one,'_ Blaine thought regrettably. What he wouldn't give to run away to a different planet during awkward moments like this.

Brittany pinched his cheek. “And in case you hadn’t realized, Kurt likes you too.” 

This wasn’t news to him of course since Kurt had admitted it to him already. The last thing Blaine planned to do was tell Brittany that though--or the fact that he had confessed he was attracted to Kurt as well. Lord only knew how much she would tease him about it--or worse, she’d take matters in her own hands and try to get him and Kurt together by any means possible. 

“I’m not having this conversation with you, Brittany,” Blaine warned. 

Brittany rolled her eyes. “I know you said you don’t want to date anybody but you two are seriously made for each other. Everyone's sees it, so why can’t you?” 

“What’s so wrong with us being friends?” 

“Nothing.” Smiling, Brittany kissed his cheek. “Except I know you like him Blainey, and not as a friend.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“You can't even say his name without smiling.”

Blaine made a loud scoffing noise. “I can so.” 

“Is that so?” Brittany’s smirk was full of cocky defiance. “Fine then. Say his name right now in front of me and see if you can stop yourself from smiling.” Her challenge made, she scooted back on the couch to give Blaine more room. 

Never one to back down, Blaine stared right at her as he said, “I don’t fancy, _Kurt_.” In his defence it was a good attempt, but as soon as Kurt’s name rolled off his tongue a warm smile spread across Blaine’s face. It was faint and lasted for barely a second, but it was enough that Brittany (and him--regrettably) noticed. 

“You see, there’s no use denying it Blaine, so why bother at all?” When Blaine didn’t answer, Brittany began to sing, ‘Love is in the air for Blaine Anderson,’which seemed to be a song she’d made up on a whim. 

Three torturous verses later and Blaine was reaching his limit. If she didn’t stop soon he would be tempted to call his parents in to rescue him. The trouble was, he wasn’t completely sure they would take his side, which was why he hadn’t contacted them. 

“Are you done?” Blaine grumbled when Brittany stopped singing long enough for him to speak. 

“Only if you’re ready to talk about it,” Brittany said, smiling. 

Blaine sighed. “It wouldn’t work out if we were to start dating. There’s too much in the way… I couldn’t bare the idea of hurting Kurt, because he wouldn’t be able to understand why I can’t--” Blast it all! There was no way Blaine could believably explain himself. He was never going to be able to get away from this was he? But what choice did he have? Blaine didn’t want to stop being Kurt’s friend even if people kept asking him why they weren’t in a relationship. 

_‘It’s not fair,’_ Blaine thought, and for a short moment, Blaine wished he was a normal human teenager with regular everyday problems. 

Brittany brought her hands up to her mouth as gasped. “Are you dying, Blaine?” 

“What? No, I’m not dying, Britt.” If it had been anyone else then Blaine would have thought they were being sarcastic, but Brittany’s concern appeared to be genuine. One look into her solemn blue eyes tugged at Blaine’s heart strings and made him want to gather her up into his arms. 

“But it all adds up; why you won’t date anyone, or drink too much, or won’t go to parties and, oh my god, I’ve even heard you muttering about how there’s not enough time!” Brittany exclaimed. 

Chuckling, Blaine wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I’m in perfect health, Britt. I’ll even race you around the block just to prove it.” 

“But what else could it be?” This time her eyes widened in surprise. “Are you an alien?” Brittany placed her arms on his chest and started feeling around his torso. “Is this a host body or something?” 

Blaine pulled away before she could accidently feel his two separate heartbeats. This wasn’t the first time Brittany had nearly uncovered the truth and knowing how her brain worked, it wouldn’t be the last. “Oh, you and your silly hair-brain ideas, Britt,” He swept her up in his arms and hugged her tightly. “You know I was born and raised on earth, same as you.”

“If you say so…” 

He had in fact been born on earth, in a hospital in London (the very best--thanks to the Doctor’s psychic paper) but the same could not be said about his conception. All Blaine knew about that was the act had happened on some far off planet and that was all he needed to know. It turned out there were some stories about his parents that Blaine was perfectly happy to know nothing about.   
_________________________________________________________________________________

The door to Kurt’s dorm room suddenly burst open, interrupting his reading and he was far from amused. There was only one person he could think of who would have the audacity and sure enough, there was miss Santana herself, foregoing common courtesy as she stormed towards him. 

“Okay Mr. Yankee-doodle-dandy, I need the lowdown on Brittany S. Pierce, who you apparently are friends with.”

Kurt wished he could ignore her but he got the distinct feeling that any attempt to would be futile. “Try saying that again but not in crazy this time and maybe I’ll answer you.”

“Blaine’s friend Brittany, what’s her deal?” Santana asked. “Is she actually dating that dopey trouty mouth mop head named Sam?” 

“For the past three years--according to Blaine.”

“Damn! I was afraid of that.” Santana stole a pillow from Kurt’s bed and began crushing it with her hands. He would have demanded she give it back, but better it than him, he figured. “I thought she'd have better taste than that. It could be worse though…” Pacing back and forth, she continued to ring Kurt’s pillow in her hands without remorse. 

What in the world did Santana have against Sam that had her so pissed off? Kurt didn’t have a clue. Sam was a slightly goofy sweetheart who wouldn’t hurt a fly. 

“I bet it wouldn't take much to lure her away from his clutches.” 

Any concern Kurt had about his stolen pillow was thrown aside. “Hold on. You’re a lesbian?” 

“I thought that was pretty obvious when I suggested we go clubbing together.” 

“I know better than to make an assumption based on only that.”

Santana tossed Kurt’s pillow back on his bed. “I’d be more worried about what assumptions are being made about you and Blaine if I were you.” 

“Says the woman who's planning to steal someone’s girlfriend.” It felt so freeing to be able to speak his mind for once. Back in high school Kurt had been too afraid to stand up for himself and he’d always regretted it. 

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about me, Hummel,” she said using his last name, which he didn’t remember telling her. “You go right ahead and keep making googly eyes at Blaine. Just don’t come crying to me when all you end up with is a broken heart.” 

“He would never do that to me.” 

“You’re hopeless.” Santana threw her hands into the air and stormed out of his room. 

This was one time Kurt wasn’t going to let her get the last word. Seething with anger, Kurt chased after her and despite her head start, he managed to catch up before she could close her door on him. 

“Blaine isn’t leading me on. He’s been nothing but honest with me,” Kurt said, rushing inside her dorm room. “He’s just not interesting in dating anyone right now.” 

“Ah you bought that?” Santana shook her head. “Oh, Kurt, you are so naive.” 

The fact that Kurt was newly out of the closet didn’t have anything to do with Blaine’s trustability, and Santana damn well knew it. She was acting otherwise to push Kurt’s buttons and it was working. Kurt’s body vibrated with anger; so much for not letting anyone get under his skin. 

_‘And you’re a bitch,’_ Kurt thought. “Why are you so interested in Blaine anyway?” 

Santana, who was busy picking clothes off of her floor, looked up at him. “Something’s not right about him. I can’t put my finger on it… it’s like he’s hiding something… for all we know, behind his polite exterior lurks a dark soul who’s living a shady double life we can’t even begin to imagine.” 

“If I were to stand here and tell you just how wrong you are, it would take me all night. My time is far too precious to waste like that,” Kurt said, laying on the sass. His plan was to take a page from Santana’s book and leave before she could get a word in, but when he turned back towards her what he saw made his mind go blank. For some reason, Santana was dressed in only a pair of red panties and holding the matching bra she had unhooked seconds ago. At first Kurt could only stare in disbelief, then--as his mind began to come out of its initial shock--his face flushed red with embarrassment. 

“Have you no sense of shame!” Kurt hissed, backing himself against the wall. 

“What's the big deal? It's not like this is doing anything for you, Hummel, and why should I feel ashamed of my body?” Santana challenged with her hands on her hips.

Kurt inched towards the door with his eyes tightly shut. “The fact I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m okay seeing you naked all of a sudden.” 

“Did someone say naked?” a male voice called from outside the partially opened door. Even though whoever had said it made no attempts to enter the room, Kurt snapped into action and closed it just to be safe. 

“Thanks,” Santana said, pulling a t-shirt over her head. 

“Let’s not make a habit of it.” 

Kurt made his escape once the coast was clear in the hallway. Once he was safely in his dorm room he threw himself on the bed. A night full of reading sounded really good right about now. He only hoped that Lola Robinson’s mysteries would be enough to keep Santana’s naked breasts from entering his thoughts. 

Was it so much to ask that the next time he saw someone naked it would be completely consensual and be a hot guy for once? At this point all Kurt could do was hope it would happen someday, and be sooner than later.   
________________________________________________________________________________

By some miracle Kurt had managed to keep his excitement in check and his expectations to a reasonable level as he waited for Saturday to come around. What helped him the most were the cute little hints Blaine had texted him yesterday. The rest of the night (after his encounter with Santana) had been spent reading ‘Angels in the Basement’, so he had plenty on his mind to share with Blaine once they met up. 

It wouldn’t be long now; Blaine was due to arrive at any minute. Their meeting place was at the small garden in front of the lodge. Kurt whistled to himself as he headed out the front door, but his merriment stopped when he realized Blaine was there already. Oh no. Did this mean he was late? Kurt checked his phone. No, he was five minutes ahead of schedule, which meant that Mr. Anderson liked to be punctual then--good to know. 

Kurt waved at Blaine, and his heart began to race when his friend beamed back at him. 

“Hello there, Kurt. I’m glad to see you could make it.” Blaine said, grinning to show he was teasing. “I’ve got quite the day of fun planned for us.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of missing today for the world, not when you’ve put so much effort in planning everything,” Kurt said. 

He considered himself quite the event planner (weddings, welcome parties, you name it--Kurt Hummel did it all), so he loved that Blaine seemed to be the same way. “But before we head out, just how long have you been waiting out here? Because I seem to remember us agreeing to meet here a few minutes from now.” 

The cute little grin of Blaine’s wasn’t fooling anyone, but he seemed perfectly aware of the fact and having too much fun to care.

“Not that long. I hate being late so I left a little earlier than intended is all. And I’m glad I did because it gave me a chance to look around this lovely little garden you have here, Kurt.” 

It didn’t surprise Kurt that Blaine liked the garden; what wasn’t there to love? There weren’t many flowers still in bloom, but the auviance was still aesthetically pleasing. There was a bench beside the biggest tree in the garden that held a perfect view of the smaller plants and scrub bushes surrounding it all. 

“It is charming, isn’t it?” Kurt stood beside Blaine admiring the scenery, which meant the garden and not his handsome friend (for once). “I keep meaning to spend more time out here before it gets too cold.” 

Blaine flashed Kurt one of his award winning smiles. “I’m afraid that you won’t get the chance this afternoon, because it’s time for us to be on our merry way.” 

“Lead the way then,” Kurt replied, only his eagerness in following after Blaine changed to confusion. For some reason Blaine’s pace had picked up and he was actually jogging now. Kurt hurried to keep himself from falling behind. “What’s the rush?” 

Chuckling at the realization, Blaine slowed his pace down a bit. “There isn’t one, sorry. I tend to run when I’m excited. It’s a family trait I’ve inherited from my parents.” 

“I’m not usually one to shy away from a good workout, but I try not run unless it’s absolutely necessary. Especially if I’m wearing skinny jeans, which is most days--today included.” The pair Kurt was wearing wasn’t his tightest though, so it wasn’t too much of a strain to keep up with Blaine. 

At first Kurt thought Blaine might compliment him about his jeans but he was keeping oddly quiet, probably to keep from sounding too flirtatious. Sensible albeit slightly disappointing reasoning, but he understood it. But it did mean that Kurt didn’t have an opening to flirt back. Blaine was looking particularly handsome today too. Kurt had a thing for shawl collar cardigans to begin with. Blaine’s was above par in quality and the perfect shade of maroon to match his blue plaid shirt underneath. The same could be said for his slim fit black pants and navy nautical print bowie tie. Maybe he could slip in an innocent comment later… Stolen glances of quiet admiration would have to do in the meantime then. 

“I'm curious Blaine, is today supposed to be a complete surprise or am I allowed to ask you where we're going?” Kurt tentatively asked once they were on the bus.

Blaine waved his hand at Kurt as if to show he was amused by the very idea. “No not at all. We're on our way to Covent Garden.”

Covent Garden. The name sounded familiar. Kurt had started researching online about England's iconic locations even before he’d gotten his CSVPA acceptance letter. The only trouble was, Kurt couldn’t remember any details about the location. Or maybe that was for the better; it meant he was in for a pleasant surprise. So they were going to a garden then, that should be fun, and potentially romantic… 

_‘Keep your mind off romance, Kurt,’_ he told himself. 

It wasn’t what Kurt would call the best choice for a shopping excursion, but maybe they would have an amazing gift shop. The bus was full of people, and despite the crowded atmosphere, Kurt was enjoying himself. It was hard not to when he was sitting next to Blaine. 

“I made good headway on ‘Angels in the Basement’ last night,” Kurt said. “I’m nearly halfway through it now.” 

Blaine’s eyes perked up. “What did you think about the first book’s climactic ending? Did you see it coming at all?” 

“Not in the slightest.” Kurt scanned the bus to make sure no one was listening to them. He’d hate to ruin anything for a fellow Lola Robinson fan. “I couldn’t believe it when Carmen and Kent jumped off that building together.” He had wanted to text Blaine about it at the time, but it had been too late at night. “I couldn’t start the next chapter fast enough to make sure they survived it.” 

“I shouted out loud when I got to that part; my dad rushed in thinking I was in some sort of peril,” Blaine said, chuckling. 

“I almost did too, except I didn’t want to invoke the wrath of my dorm-mates.” Kurt didn’t even want to think what hell Santana would unleash if she were to be rudely awoken. “I hope your mom realizes what kind of emotional rollercoaster she puts her readers through.” 

“Oh, she is well aware, and often relishes in the fact.” The love Blaine felt for his family was out for all to see on his smiling face. Kurt, who shared a close bond with his dad, found it incredibly sweet. 

The bus ride portion of the boys’ journey came to an end when Blaine tapped Kurt on the shoulder to signal that this was their stop. Shuffling along to avoid bumping into anyone, Kurt followed Blaine off of the bus. The scene before them as they stepped out onto the street didn’t show any signs of a nearby garden, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t close still. Kurt had complete trust in Blaine’s navigation skills; he seemed to know exactly where he was going. 

“I love how your mom lures you into the story, Blaine,” Kurt said, continuing their conversation as they walked along. “The way that she describes each scene feels so real, it’s like I’m really there instead of reading a story.” 

“She travelled a lot before and after she married my dad, so she’s had many different and exciting life experiences to draw from.” 

Kurt smirked. “I doubt the part where Carmen stormed into a swanky restaurant with loaded guns and ordered everyone to take off their clothes was based on a real life event though.” 

“Lord, I hope it wasn’t!” Blaine exclaimed, choking out a strained laugh. “I find it best if I stay as incognizant as possible when it comes to her writing process.” 

_‘Well aren’t we are a well versed young man,’_ Kurt thought, admiring his friend’s clever choice of words. He was impressed. Kurt had always thought he had a wide vocabulary. Blaine was the son of a writer no doubt. Almost everything out of his mouth sounded poetic. Add in his beautiful sounding voice and it was a dangerous combination--it was no wonder Kurt found himself falling for the man. 

“Has she written any other series aside from the one I am currently engrossed in?”

Blaine shook his head. “Not as of yet.” There he went with his fancy words again--the cutie. “She is planning to write a whole new one once she finished the last book of this series.” 

It was probably a good thing that Kurt was pacing himself then; he couldn’t imagine having to wait for each book to be released. 

“We’re nearly there, Kurt,” Blaine said ten minutes later. “Our destination is just around the corner.” 

“I can hardly wait to see where you’re taking me.” 

Blaine stopped and turned around to face him. “Just so you know Kurt, Covent is more than your average garden.” 

“It is?” Kurt was really curious now; what was Blaine hiding from him and why was he smirking at him like that? It was time to turn this around with a question of his own.“What exactly is it then?” 

With a playful smirk, Blaine stepped aside to reveal the street corner behind him. “Have a look and see for yourself.”

Kurt resisted the urge to follow his cheeky advice for less than a minute before his curiosity got the better of him. In all honesty, he was perfectly willing to play along with Blaine’s adorable little act, so he marched off with his head held high. 

_‘Here we go,’_ Blaine thought with eyes glued on Kurt, who’s composure held right until he turned the corner. Dashing ahead, Blaine managed to make it to his friend’s side to see Kurt’s reaction right when the moment hit him. 

Blaine saw Kurt’s eyes widened as he let out a sharp gasp. Covent Garden might not be a far off planet, but it didn’t need to be. As Blaine watched Kurt’s awe-struck face, he felt as if he was seeing things for the first time again. It was highly infectious. Was this what his dad saw whenever he took one of his companions to a new place? No wonder the Doctor disliked travelling alone. 

A vast outdoor courtyard spanned out before them as far as the eye could see. Numerous shops, stalls and buskers of all sorts were scattered around the area, but the most noticeable thing were the huge crowds of people busily going about their business. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said it was more than a garden,” Kurt said finally, smiling with excitement. “I’ve never seen a place so perfectly display British culture and all of its many forms before!” He grabbed onto Blaine’s shoulder. “Blaine, this is a shoppers’ paradise!” 

Blaine grinned. “I thought you’d like it.” 

“Like doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling. I hardly know where we should go first.” 

“That’s a good question.” Blaine had a number of ideas since he was a frequent visitor. “It all depends on what you want us to do first. We could start off with a bit of shopping, or if you’re feeling a bit peckish then we could grab something to eat, or we could always do some sightseeing too--the garden here is quite lovely.” 

Kurt pursed his lips together for a moment. “What would you suggest we do first, Blaine?” 

“Well...” Blaine had planned to let Kurt decide. “Perhaps we should have an overall look around so you can see what kind of places there are?” 

“That sounds good to me, as long as we can stop if anything catches my eye.” 

Blaine laughed. “That’s a given of course, and I figure we can stop and see what our food options are once we’re hungry.” He hoped there would be enough time to look at the garden, but they could always save that for another day. 

“Thanks for planning all of this Blaine, but I feel I should warn you. I’ve been called a shopping fanatic more than once, or a couple hundred times, usually by my dad, who has seen me at my worst, so I hope you can keep up with me.” 

“Don’t worry about me Kurt; I’m a runner remember?”   
___________________________________________________________________________________

For a human who only had one heart, Kurt turned out to be very light on his feet. Blaine had nearly lost him in the crowd a number of times. Bargain hunting was brought to a new level when Kurt was involved. From clothing accessories, trinkets, and knick-knacks to the odd tacky souvenir, there was no trouble finding things he liked. The real trouble came when it came to choosing which ones to buy and which ones Kurt could do without. 

So far Kurt had only bought a few smaller items, which had been intentionally done, Blaine learned, because he didn’t want to carry so much yet. Blaine still insisted he share the load despite Kurt’s playful protests and after bickering for a moment, Kurt had finally given up and let Blaine hold one for him. 

An hour and a half passed before Kurt showed any signs of tiring and admitted he was getting hungry. The pair of friends had set off in the search of sustenance, pulling away from the flow of traffic to find an unoccupied corner to rest and consider their options. 

Blaine smiled at Kurt, acting more tired than he actually was. “So any ideas what we should do for lunch? We could find a nearby pub or try one of the many food stalls we’ve seen around here?” 

“I say we go with the food stalls; they’re closer so we’ll get to eat sooner and it’s probably more cost effective too.” 

The trouble was, there were so many different types of food about, it became quite the challenge to make their selections. Everything looked far too delicious, even to Blaine, who had tried most of it at some point. Kurt didn’t seem to be any closer to choosing, until they passed a fish and chips stall and the decision was finally made. A quick stop at a nearby coffee booth finished their lunch and the pair headed off to find a spot to eat. 

This time Blaine led the way with Kurt merrily in tow; it wasn’t long before he found a suitable place. Situated under a patch of trees, the spot was far enough off the beaten track that it wasn’t overcrowded, and yet not too long of a walk away from everything. Blaine suddenly wished he had brought a blanket to sit on, but Kurt didn’t seem too concerned about grass stains (he was wearing jeans) as he sat down beside Blaine. 

Their fish and chips lunch was delicious, and Kurt kept on saying ‘mmm’ with a big smile on his face in between chewing. Blaine found himself chuckling at his friend’s adorable antics more than once, which Kurt took in stride--though he did blush a bit in response. 

“What a lovely day,” Blaine said, sighing with content; he wasn’t just talking about the weather either. 

Kurt looked upwards and squinted. “It’s just my luck that I didn’t consider how bright it could be today. I don’t think the sunscreen I put on this morning has a high enough SPF. I’m going to break out in freckles at this rate.” 

“I believe I can help you there, Kurt,” Blaine said as he reached inside of his pocket. “Here.” He held out a nondescript tube of sunscreen in offering. “My dad swears by it, and so do I. I’ve never gotten a sunburn whenever I use it.” Little did Kurt know that the sunscreen in question was an offworld purchase made by his dad. 

“Thanks.” Kurt applied a thin layer over his face and neck before giving it back to Blaine. 

The boys resumed their meal as they sat quietly together enjoying the lovely scenery around them. 

“You know, as I sit here out in the autumn air, it’s finally hitting me that I actually made it here somehow against all the odds, and little by little… I’m making my dreams a reality,” Kurt said. 

“And what other sort of dreams do you have, Kurt?”

Smiling through his blushing face, Kurt replied, “I have a number of dreams, but my biggest one is to sing on Broadway to a sold out house. I’ve had this clear vision in my head of that moment for ages; I’m on stage and all eyes are on me, the audience is spellbound and silent as I sing my heart out, moving everyone to tears by the power of my voice.” Lost in his vision, Kurt’s eyes were gazing far off somewhere. “I close my eyes after singing the final note and the crowd goes wild with a standing ovation, and suddenly I’m the one who's crying my heart out from joy.” 

Blaine could almost see the scenario himself, with him sitting in the front row beaming at Kurt with pride--or perhaps peeking from behind the curtain as a fellow performer? 

“I know it’s still a silly far off dream at this point… but I can’t help but think it’ll happen one day.” 

“It’s not silly, Kurt,” Blaine said, smiling. “Where would any of us be if we didn’t have goals to achieve?” 

Kurt’s attention was back to the present once more and he grinned shyly at Blaine. “Not all of my dreams are nearly so big, but they’re still important to me. The one I’m really trying to fulfill at the moment is to be more true to myself.” Blaine’s frown in confusion made him chuckle. “I know it seems impossible looking at me now, but that’s only because I’ve been pushing myself to be more confident. Back in Ohio I spent most of my life trying to blend into the crowd. I was so scared of being noticed in any way. I wanted to fit in so badly, even if it meant I was yet another closeted teen who was too afraid to come out to anyone.” 

A gentle gust of wind blew in, flaring up Kurt’s scarf for a second before he smoothed it back down. Blaine had never had someone so willingly open up to him without holding back before. The vulnerability in Kurt’s eyes was chilling. It made Blaine want to vow to protect him from all of the evils of the world. 

“Out of all of the regrets I’ve made, not coming out sooner is my biggest one. I can’t help but think how much better my life could have been if I’d only dared to be different.” 

“That’s true for a lot of people, Kurt.” 

Kurt fluttered his eyes. “Even you?” 

“Even me.” Blaine knew all about trying to blend in and not be noticed after-all, and it was a real shame that he couldn’t share those struggles with Kurt. 

“Anyway,” Kurt began when it was clear Blaine didn’t have anything to add. “I came out at the end of my high school graduation ceremony. I didn’t bother to stay long enough to see anyone’s reactions though. The only people there who mattered to me where my family and they accepted me instantly so I was fine. I never looked back, and I finally embraced the person I’ve always been on the inside: a fabulously dressed man who walks to a different beat with his head held up high.” 

Blaine couldn’t stop smiling. He was too swept up in his emotions to register his actions, or his words. “What I’ve come to discover is that what makes us different are the very things we should feel the most proud of… because those traits are what make us unique.” In Kurt’s case, unique didn’t even begin to describe him, but Blaine knew better than to voice this belief out loud. 

“You’re a wonder Blaine,” Kurt said in a soft voice. “Whenever I think I’ve figured you out, you go and say something beautiful as that and I’m back to square one all over again.” 

Another thing Blaine wasn’t used to was hearing such words of endearment from someone other than his family. Kurt’s kind comment went straight to Blaine’s hearts, causing them to skip a beat and he inhale sharply. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach. It wasn’t so much what Kurt had said, but the raw emotion behind his words. 

“I swear it’s not on purpose,” Blaine muttered as he tried to shake off the effect Kurt had on him. His attempts were failing so far, most likely because he had no idea what Kurt was doing to him exactly. 

“What about your dreams, Blaine?” Bless Kurt and his ability to sense when Blaine needed the subject to change before things got out of hand. 

Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “They aren’t as laid out as yours I’m afraid--as far as my future dreams are concerned anyway. At this point, I want to see where my love of music and storytelling might take me in terms of a career path. The possibilities are endless, but more than anything, I want to find my place in the world.” 

“I think that’s true for a lot of us, Blaine.” 

“Even for you?” 

Kurt grinned at the play on words. “Yes Blaine, even for me.” 

With their fish and chips eaten, Blaine insisted on running off to buy them each an apple strudel for dessert, which Kurt playfully accepted upon his return. 

“So how am I doing as a tour guide, Kurt?” Blaine asked. 

Kurt’s first response was to smirk at him, as if to say ‘like you don’t already know’, but instead he replied, “How do you think you’re doing, Blaine?” 

_‘Oh, I walked straight into that one.’_ Which was saying something considering how rarely that happened. Blaine was enjoying the change though; he always loved a good challenge. “I’d like to think I’m doing a bang up job.” 

Without cracking so much as a smile, Kurt eyed him. “Is that so?” 

“You certainly appear to be enjoying yourself.” 

“Am I?” 

“I would say so, given how you’ve basically been smiling since we met up this afternoon and how I could barely keep up with you as you ran around. Not to mention how you’ve repeatedly told me how much fun you’ve been having today.” Blaine rarely let his cocky side out and yet it felt so freeing to lay on the sass for once. “You may be a good actor Kurt, but my keen eyes can still see the delight behind that almost convincing poker face of yours.” 

Kurt’s stoic expression was no match for Blaine’s cheeky grin and his act crumbled under his power, rendering him to a laughing mess. Blaine joined him in his amusement soon thereafter and the pair doubled over in near hysterics until they finally got it fully out of their systems a few minutes later. 

Wiping a tear from his eye, Blaine, who was standing now, bent over to pick up their empty cups just as Kurt did the same. Their fingers brushed together and yet the light contact caught Blaine off guard so much that he flicked his hand away. “Sorry.” Blaine brought his hand back to touch Kurt’s to show his remorse. 

“No harm done,” Kurt said as he stared at their entwined fingers. 

Such a small gesture wouldn’t look like very much to those around them, unless they were to stop and look at the matching starry eyed expressions on Kurt and Blaine’s flushed faces. No matter his alien roots, Blaine was still a human by nature and this meant he craved physical contact like anyone else. He was always keen to share a hug among his friends, and he and his family could only be described as overly affectionate. But he rarely allowed more than a polite tap on the shoulder or friendly hug outside of those he was close with--not so much by choice, but by necessity.

Kurt inched closer to Blaine until their bodies were mere inches apart. His blue eyes were almost shimmering in the light of the sun. Blaine knew he should pull away but his body refused to move. 

“Blaine, is that you?” a voice called out from behind them, only Blaine was too preoccupied notice. 

“Blaine, someone’s calling you,” Kurt whispered. 

The spell broken, Blaine blinked back into awareness as he turned around to see who it was. “Craig!” He launched forward in a tackling hug hello. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen you!” In his excitement, Blaine’s speech pattern had reverted back to sounding properly British again. “How long has it been even?” 

“Not since your dad’s last summer barbecue at least!” Craig answered, hugging him back. 

Blaine shook his head at the memory. “Blimey don’t remind me! That was a complete disaster.” He was about to ask after Craig’s girlfriend Sophie and their son Alfie when he saw the two a short distance away. Blaine wavered them over instantly, his excitement in seeing them keeping him from noticing how he was speaking (or remembering Kurt). 

“It’s wonderful so see you again, Blaine,” Sophie said as she rolled up with her stroller-bound son in tow. 

Blaine pulled her into a big hug. “The feeling, Sophie, is mutual.” As soon as their hug was finished he bent down to greet Alfie, who was already babbling away. “And hello to you too, Alfie, haven’t you gotten big.” He had to be getting close to two by now. “How have you all been?” 

“We've been very well, thank you Blaine, but aren’t you going to introduce us your friend?” Sophie asked with a teasing smile. 

Blaine cursed under his breath at forgetting Kurt, who was politely sanding where he had been left. “How rude of me, this is Kurt,” he said, gesturing him over. “He’s a friend of my mine from college.” Blaine was back to speaking in his new universal accent again now that he had calmed down. 

“It’s nice to meet you both.” 

“Kurt, this is Craig, Sophie, and their son Alfie…” How should he go about explaining how they knew each other. “Whom are old friends of the family you could say.” 

“Blaine’s dad and I and go way back. We used to flatmates,” Craig explained, offering his hand to Kurt. 

“Really?” Kurt said, raising his brows in curiosity. 

“Are you studying here from America, Kurt?” interrupted Sophie.

“Yes I am. I’m from Ohio.” 

Thank goodness for Sophie and her quick wit. If it wasn’t for her then Kurt might have asked how Blaine’s dad (a man with an eighteen-year-old son) and (an obviously much younger) Craig could have been roommates. Blaine probably could have come up with a plausible explanation, but he was quite relieved there was no need. 

“Sorry,” Craig whispered to Blaine. “Wasn’t thinking.” 

“It’s all right,” Blaine assured, watching as Kurt and Sophie chatted to one another. 

Alfie was speaking as well, except to everyone but Blaine what he was saying sounded like simple baby talk. Just as his father could, Blaine spoke all languages, including infant so he understood everything Alfie was saying, which was mostly him asking why no one was paying proper attention to him. Blaine crouched back down in front of the toddler. “Quiet you, or you’ll blow my cover,” he affectionately whispered in Alfie’s ear. 

Sophie smiled down at her fussing son. “I think it’s time for us to head home. It’s been a long day.”

“It was nice seeing you, I’ll tell mum and dad I saw you,” Blaine said, hugging them one last time before the tired family headed on their way again. 

Blaine waved goodbye before turning back to grin and Kurt. “Shall we head back into the fray one last time before we head off too, Kurt?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Kurt replied. “Let’s go!” 

It was almost embarrassing how long it took for Blaine to catch up to him.   
________________________________________________________________________________

“Tell me again why I have been reduced to being a pack animal?” Blaine muttered from behind Kurt.

The only response Kurt chose to give Blaine was an audible snicker. Six of Kurt's seven shopping bags were currently been carried by Blaine. They weren’t even that heavy but adding them to his own four purchases was weighing his arms down a bit. 

“You may have forgotten laughing so hard when that street performer startled me but I haven’t.” The scream Kurt had produced after said performer, who had been made up to look like a stone statue, had suddenly jolted to life had been glass shattering. 

“I said I was sorry,” Blaine pointed out. 

“While you were still chuckling away at me.” 

Blaine chewed on his bottom lip in attempts to keep himself from saying something catty in response. The last thing he wanted was to annoy Kurt even more, that is, if he was truly cross in the first place. Blaine wasn’t sure at first, until he saw the glint in Kurt’s eye and he instantly relaxed. Good. Kurt was just having a go with him then. Relief washed through him. He could deal with that, and if he was lucky, maybe he could get the upper hand as well. 

_‘This calls for my secret weapon,’_ Blaine thought, grinning to himself. It had never failed him so far. 

Without giving Kurt, who had his back turned to Blaine as he walked ahead, any warning, Blaine rushed in front so he could launch his attack. Time to give him the old puppy dog eyes. As soon as Kurt saw Blaine’s huge watery brown eyes gazing at him he froze. 

“That’s not fair,” Kurt muttered, but it was no use, Blaine kept staring at him pleadingly. “All right fine, you’re forgiven Blaine, I’ll take my bags back.” 

Content with his victory, Blaine gave all but the biggest one back. 

“I wasn’t actually mad at you.” 

“I didn’t think you were, but I wanted to be sure.” Blaine wasn’t always the best at reading people’s emotions. 

Kurt tutted while shaking his head. “As if I would let such a trivial thing get under my nose, Blaine.” Unlike Blaine, Kurt’s switch to a British accent didn’t appear to be by accident, not with the proud way his friend was standing with his chest pushed out. 

“Wow, Quinn was right, you do sound horrible,” Blaine said without thinking (his accent was that terrible).

The honest remark made Kurt scowl. “On second thought, forget what I said before, ‘cause I am mad at you now, Blaine.” With that, Kurt stormed off like a true diva, leaving Blaine speechless in his wake. 

_‘Way to go,’_ Blaine scolded as he hurried after his disgruntled friend. He really should have known better, even if Kurt’s accent was justifyingly bad, he didn’t have to say so. “Kurt wait, I’m sorry, your accents not that bad!” His feeble apologies fell on deaf ears, and when Blaine managed to catch up he saw the genuine annoyance on Kurt’s scrunched up face. 

This was worse than he had feared. Blaine was surprised Kurt had taken such hard offense in all honesty. A worried thought crossed his mind. Perhaps Kurt’s reaction went deeper than Blaine’s comment about his bad accent. 

_‘I’ve been flirting with him too much.’_ He had crossed a line somewhere and now Kurt was second guessing their friendship, or that was the conclusion Blaine had come up with. Or had spending the day with him made Kurt realize what he was missing out on? What Blaine wouldn’t give to be able read Kurt’s mind right now. 

Blaine trailed silently behind Kurt at he kept a fast pace. Actually… It was probably good thing that he couldn’t. Lord knows what he was thinking right now. Blaine was at a total loss. What could he do? How could he make things up if he didn’t know what Kurt was truly mad about. This was one of the many reasons Blaine kept saying he was bad at romance. He had always been better at singing his feelings rather than expressing them outright. 

Wait a second. That was it! The answer to his current conundrum. He hoped, but there was only one sure way to find out...

Blaine took a deep breath. _‘Here goes nothing.’_

_“Give me time to realize my crime, Let me love and steal, I have danced inside your eyes.”_

No reaction. Kurt’s steadied pace didn’t slow down and he didn’t give him so much as a sideways glance as Blaine continued to sing his plight. 

_“How can I be real?”_

Kut sure was stubborn. There was no way for Blaine to tell if he was close to cracking with his back turned to him.

_“Do you really want to hurt me, do you really want to make me cry.”_

Just to be safe Blaine skipped the lyrics about kissing and lovers in case his assumptions from before were correct. _“Do you really want to hurt me, do you really want to make me cry.”_

Too bad Blaine literally couldn’t sing his trouble away. It was time to up his performance. Rushing forward with all of his might, Blaine swung ahead of Kurt so he could look in his eyes. Kurt averted his gaze but Blaine had anticipated this and managed to counter his every move. 

_“In my heart the fire's burnin', choose my colour, find a star, precious people always tell me.”_

Blaine nearly had him. There was no where for Kurt to escape. It wouldn’t be long now; Kurt was biting his bottom lip. Like a scene out of a musical, Blaine broke out into an impressive song and dance routine. He probably looked like an utter fool but he didn’t care, all he wanted was to wipe the stern expression off of Kurt’s face. _‘Come on Kurt, you’re not made of stone. Show us a smile,’_ he urged silently with his eyes. 

_“That's a step, a step too far…”_

The final push was when Blaine circled around Kurt as he continued serenading him and the American finally lost it. Doubling over, Kurt burst out laughing and placed his bags on the ground so he could hold up his arms in surrender. “All right! All right! I give up. You win, Blaine. I forgive you, just… stop singing and dancing around like an idiot before my sides split.” 

Blaine’s hearts swelled up with pride. “Victory is mine!” 

“I don’t want to hurt you, Blaine.” Kurt said, wheezing. “I guess I overreacted there.” 

“I’m sorry for insulting you,” Blaine began but Kurt shook his head. 

“You weren’t wrong, my accent is horrible. I clearly need to work on it still.” 

Blaine grinned. “At least you can turn it off and on at will--unlike me.” 

Their apologies made, the two friends were happy to put the silly moment behind them and resume their journey back to Kurt’s apartment. This was one story he wasn’t about to tell his parents on Sunday. It might not have been their best moment, but at least he knew he could always sing for Kurt whenever the going got rough.   
______________________________________________________________________________

At Blaine insistence, they went right to work arranging Kurt’s new purchases in his dorm room the minute after they arrived. It took them over and hour to get everything right, but fruits of their labour looked very good in Blaine’s humble opinion. 

Standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, Kurt assessed their handiwork. “Yes that’s much better now wouldn’t you say, Blaine?” 

Blaine nodded. “I’d say that and more Kurt, in fact, this single room puts my whole flat to shame.” 

“Maybe we can focus on fixing up your place tomorrow?” Kurt asked. 

“Um, as much as I’d like to say yes.” Blaine’s bright smile fell a little. “I do have plans tomorrow… so I’m not sure I’ll be free to or not. ” There was a good chance Blaine would have time in the evening, but most of the good shops would be closed by then. He didn’t want Kurt to keep from doing something else in case they couldn’t get together. 

Much to Blaine’s relief, Kurt smiled at him. “We’ll just play it by ear then Blaine, it’s not like we can’t do it another day.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I know.” 

It eventually reached the point where Blaine regrettably admitted he should he heading out. There was a big pile of laundry waiting for him at his flat that wasn’t going to wash itself. His dad had offered to whip him up a high tech washing machine that would put his clothes away and everything but Blaine had wisely decided against it. 

“You don’t mind?” Blaine asked. 

Kurt chuckled. “Not at all. I’m not your keeper Blaine, you’re free to come and go as you please. And I am sort of dying to get back to reading your mom’s book anyway.” Rising from his bed, Kurt walked Blaine to the door. “I’ll see you out.” 

“There’s no need,” Blaine insisted. “I’ve monopolized you for long enough.” 

“I had a great time with you today, Blaine.” 

Blaine came to a stop, turning back to smile at Kurt. “So did I.” He said a quick goodbye before things could drag on. His mind was full of thoughts of Kurt and the warm smile he had given Blaine just now as he headed towards the stairs. 

The person ahead of Blaine seemed to be in a similar state because the two of them collided into one another a second later. Blaine reeled back in surprise and blurted, “I’m so sorry!” 

“Not to worry, collisions happen all the time here,” the man replied. Blaine swore he looked familiar; he had blond hair and couldn’t be more than a few years older than him. “Hold on, you’re not one of my lodgers are you?” He paused for a moment. “You’re Kurt’s friend right?” 

Blaine nodded. “I’m Blaine.” 

“Adam Crawford, R.A here at Carlyle.” 

The two shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you properly. Kurt’s up in his room.” He wasn’t really sure why he was telling Adam this. “We went to Covent Garden today and I was helping him arrange his purchases.” 

“A good place to go on a date,” Adam said. 

Adam’s polite smile told Blaine that he didn’t mean anything by the comment. “We’re not dating.” He felt that it was his duty to set the record straight for Kurt’s sake. 

“Sorry, my mistake.”

Blaine smirked. “That’s all right. It seems to be a common one with us.”

“You might want to stop and consider why that is then,” Adam stated, smiling. “Kurt’s quite the catch after-all.” 

Blaine was tempted to ask Adam for more details, but they didn’t know each other well enough (or at all) to breach such a personal subject. Blaine made his way to the front door and left the lodge with his mind full of questions he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answers to. 

So much for singing all of his troubles away.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Blaine might not have faced off against the likes of Daleks, Cybermen or a killer Christmas tree, but his current conundrum was something even the Doctor struggled with: boredom. How did his parents do it? How could they go from running around the galaxy saving worlds to standing in front of a washing machine folding socks?

His family home had never felt so empty before; it was so quiet, almost too quiet… 

When it became clear that nothing exciting was going to happen, Blaine busied himself by going through his vocal exercises as he did his laundry, and it worked--for twenty minutes anyway. 

“Come on Blaine, you’re better than this,” Blaine muttered, chiding himself. 

There was a way for him to battle his boredom of course, but he was hesitant to resort to it. He had seen Kurt two hours ago, so calling him up might cross a line. Then again, it might not; weren’t friends allowed to talk to each other daily? Blaine personally didn’t see the harm in it. 

What he needed was a second opinion. It would probably cost him, but desperate times called for desperate measures. 

_Hey Sam, would calling Kurt right now cross a line?_

_**It depends on what you’re calling him for. If it’s a booty call then I’d say yes.** _

Rolling his eyes, Blaine hastily thumbed his reply. _Honestly, I don't know why I bothered to call you, Sam._

_**Me either. Call him Blaine, you know you want to.** _

That’s what he got for seeking advice from others, he supposed. The fact that Sam hadn’t teased him about Kurt was really all the encouragement he needed to make his mind up. 

“Why hello there Blaine, isn’t this a nice surprise.”

Kurt’s warm reception melted away all of Blaine’s silly unease. Someone sounded like they were in a good mood. “Hi, I hope I’m not interrupting your reading time.” 

“I was due for a break. So what’s up? Are you calling me to tell me if you’re free or not tomorrow?” 

“Err…” Blaine muttered awkwardly. Thank goodness Kurt wasn’t there to see him blush. “To be honest, I’m calling because I’m doing laundry right now and I’m bored out of my mind.” 

Kurt chuckled. “Really? I never would have guessed. Does this mean you’re not used to doing your own laundry?” 

“I’ll have you know I did my fair share of household chores when I was living at home still.” The difference this time was that the Doctor and River weren’t around to amuse him. His parents loved doing household chores, his dad especially. Who would have thought a TimeLord could embrace domestic existence so wholeheartedly. 

“I’m sure you did, and I can relate with suddenly finding yourself totally on your own. But laundry isn’t so bad. Before my dad remarried I did a lot of the house keeping. Feel free to call on me if you want to learn how to properly iron clothes, Blaine.” 

It was a tempting offer and one that Blaine fully intended to take Kurt up on. It didn’t even matter that he was already an ironing pro thanks to his dad. There was always room for improvement. 

“Thanks, Kurt,” Blaine said. “I should let you get back to reading though.” Last he’d heard Kurt was nearing the end of ‘Angel’s in the Basement’ and he knew from personal experience that Kurt wouldn’t want to put it down once he reached the thrilling climax. 

“Not so fast Blaine, I’m not letting you go until we talk about the scene I just finished.” Judging by how high pitched Kurt’s voice was, Blaine had an idea of which scene he was referring to. “I mean, you’d think things would get repetitive with how many times Carmen and Kent have narrowly escaped death but it doesn’t! I know I’ve said it before Blaine, but your mom is a literary genius.” 

“I know! She’s amazing,” Blaine agreed.

It took Kurt fifteen minutes to go over what he had read for the day so far. Blaine listened with interest, laughing all throughout his witty remarks, and adding his equally passionate comments. By the time they were done, Blaine had finished folding his second load of laundry (only one left to go).

“Oh before I forget, I need to thank you for sharing that sunscreen with me today. I’ve never been out in the sun for so long and not have any freckles or a burn to show for it. Do you remember where you got it from, Blaine? I’d love to buy a lifetime supply--or as much of it as I can afford.” 

As it happened, Blaine did remember; the only trouble was that it had been a gift from his dad. There was no telling where the Doctor had bought it from (or when for that matter). “I tell you what, I’ll give you mine since you clearly need it more than I do,” Blaine said. 

“I’d turn down your kind offer but I must admit I think you’d look good with a little colour.” The playfulness in Kurt’s voice was unmistakable and Blaine smiled without thinking about it. 

“I’ll give it to you the next time I see you then.” 

“Thank you, Blaine.”

“Don't mention it.” Blaine was slightly concerned with how he kept flirting with Kurt so effortlessly. He normally had much better control over his emotions. “I’m not sure if I’ll be free to go shopping with you tomorrow yet I’m afraid.” He should give his parents a call to find out once he was finished talking with Kurt. “Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, Blaine,” Kurt assured. “Santana paid me a visit earlier, she seems to think you’re hiding a shady double life from us.” 

Blaine snorted; anyone with a hint of sense would know better than to take Santana’s claims seriously. “I shudder to think what this double life I’m hiding could be.” 

Kurt was the one to snort this time. “She thinks you might be a drug dealer or something along those lines.” 

“Of course she does,” Blaine said, sighing heavily. 

“Which is ridiculous of course, and goes without saying, Blaine.” 

Blaine smiled. Ridiculous didn’t begin to describe how far off Santana’s theory was. “Thanks for saying it anyway.” He was fine to let her think whatever she wanted if it kept his true identity safely hidden. 

“She’s a menace Blaine, a menace who thinks it’s perfectly fine to undress in front of unsuspecting gay men!” 

The shirt Blaine had been folding fell out of his hands. “Wait. What?” He couldn’t have heard that right. 

“I kid you not Blaine, I followed her into her dorm room and when I turned around she was standing there with barely a stitch on her. Not even a bra Blaine, she was practically naked! Though I must admit she certainly has everything in all the right places, but that doesn’t mean I wanted to see any of it!” 

“I wish I could say I haven’t experienced the same thing but Brittany turns into a stripper when she’s drunk.” 

“I wish I knew what the universe has against the both of us, Blaine,” Kurt said with a mournful sigh. 

Blaine was about to say ‘Don’t ask me’ in reply when an odd wheezing noise filled his ears. Oh no. Not now! The iconic noise meant only one thing; his parents were home in the Tardis and materializing in the backyard right at this very moment. 

“Blaine, are you still there? I think something’s wrong with our connection. I’m hearing some weird feedback.” 

Sprinting out of the laundry room, Blaine headed for the far side of the house to move out of earshot. Once he was confident Kurt wouldn’t be able to make out the Tardis materializing he finally relaxed. 

“Sorry, is that any better? My battery is about to die so that might be why.” 

“I’ll let you charge it then. Give me a call later, okay?” 

Blaine made a mental sigh of relief. “I will, thanks. Bye, Kurt.” 

The potential crisis avoided, Blaine took deep calming breaths as he headed off to greet his parents. In the back of his mind he kept telling himself that he wasn’t trying to hide his family from Kurt. He mentioned them all the time. So why did he feel so guilty then? It probably had something to do with lying to Kurt.

Blaine made it to the back door in time to see the Tardis fully materialize in its usual spot. With parents like his, he had learned to expect the unexpected early on.

The doors to the Tardis swung open. His dad was the first to step out followed by his mom. Their clothes told Blaine that they had been wise enough to look the part of their human alter egos. The Doctor was dressed in John’s usual style that included black slacks, a button down shirt and a bowtie to finish the look. River was wearing a brand new, and very lovely, floral dress, which was one of Melody’s trademarks. 

Their arms appeared to be full of grocery bags. 

“Well look who’s back early,” Blaine announced, crossing his arms over his chest. 

The Doctor’s face lit up at the sight of his son. “Better than late I say--or never.” 

“How can we be late when we always planned to come home at this time?” River asked rhetorically. “You’re the one who never told us you’d be here tonight.” 

Blaine came over to his mum and took half of her grocery load. The family of three walked inside and placed everything on the kitchen counter. As soon as their hands were free the Doctor and River attacked their son from both sides, sweeping him up in a bone crushing hug. Blaine didn’t give any resistance and hugged them back. 

“It’s good to see you son, but tell us, how did you know we’d be here?” the Doctor asked as he loosened his grip. 

“I didn’t. I came here to do laundry,” Blaine admitted, smiling sheepishly. 

River shook her head. “So that’s what we’ve been reduce to now: a laundromat then? It’s what I’ve always dreamed of.” No one sassed better than Melody Anderson, not even Kurt Hummel--though he was a close second in Blaine’s books. 

“So you did actually mean to come back tonight? Or has it been more than a week since I saw you off?” Blaine asked. 

The Doctor turned around from the fridge and rolled his eyes. “I’ll have you know that your mother and I have been on the same linear timeline from the moment you were born.” 

“Only because I changed the setting on the Tardis,” River whispered to Blaine. 

“The Tardis has a setting like that?” Blaine thought he knew all of the controls by now. 

Grinning, the Doctor replied, “Apparently.” 

River set to putting the remainder of their groceries away. Everything looked perfectly normal and locally bought. Which made sense, since his parents were very strict about bringing foreign food items back home. There was always the risk of introducing some unknown pathogenic, or developing a food craving that would be hard to satisfy if they ran out of stock. 

“You might find it hard to believe but there are other reasons, aside from you, for us to come back for, Blaine,” she explained. 

“River has a meeting with her publisher first thing tomorrow morning,” the Doctor explained, closing their once again full fridge. 

“We seem to be missing two bags,” River said. “Would one of you be a dear and go fetch them for me?” 

Blaine was the first to act, giving her a salute before turning to his dad. “Race you?” He didn’t bother to wait for an answer and took off in a mad dash. 

“That’s cheating!” the Doctor yelled out as he tried to catch up. Only it was no use, Blaine had too big of a head start. All he could do was frantically run after his son, who made it to the Tardis almost a full second before him. 

“And the victory goes to the Prince of Time!” Blaine shouted, pulling out his key. He always kept it on him in case of an emergency. It wasn’t long before Blaine had the door open and he saw the familiar vastness of the Tardis’ interior before him. In an instant Blaine suddenly felt horribly small as he looked around. Deep longing rushed through him, rendering him immobile. He could barely believe it was real and not an illusion. 

“It’s strange…” Blaine said in a soft voice. “Whenever I’m in the Tardis I’m hit with the strangest feeling.” He felt his dad’s hand touch his shoulder and he smiled. “It’s hard to describe... but it’s a good feeling.” He couldn’t count how many times he’d run into the Tardis when he was having a bad day. His parents always found him in the end and did what they could to help him--even if all they could do was listen. 

“You feel safe here, Blaine, and you should. You’re as much a child of the Tardis as River is.” The youthful face of the Doctor smiled at him; he must have turned off his perception filter. Blaine was too used to seeing his father this way to find it unnerving, and most of the time he didn’t even notice the difference. 

“That’s it exactly, Dad.” From the gentle humming of the console room, to its familiar buttons and lights, and railing, all of it soothed Blaine to the very core of his being. 

“You were almost delivered in it, but it turned out to be a false alarm in the end,” the Doctor said. 

Blaine knew the story of how his mum had demanded they go to a proper hospital in London to have him and thus making it easier to procure a genuine birth certificate. Both the Doctor’s and River’s were skilled fabrications made by some 30th-century high tech for hire who thought his clients had a thing for retro artifacts. 

“With the amount of shopping you’ve bought I take it you’re staying for a while?” Blaine asked on their way back to the house. 

The Doctor, who had put his perception filter back on, nodded. “River has a number of meetings scheduled with both her editor and publicist for the next week. We needed to come back soon anyway; the garden needs constant tending to. Some of the plant species I have are rather finicky.” That explained why the Doctor had turned down Blaine’s offer to do anything more than water them for him. 

A warm smile spread across the Doctor’s face. “Who would have thought I would find it so difficult to leave earth after all this time, but then, I’m not the same man I once was...” His eyes went to some far off place for a moment. 

“Dad?” 

The Doctor patted Blaine on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s get these inside before the ice cream starts to melt.” 

The River was seated at the kitchen table with a piping hot teapot and three empty mugs waiting for them. Blaine quickly made up a plate of snacks to go along with their tea. Kurt and any thoughts pertaining to him were pushed aside in his parents enjoyable company. 

“I didn’t know you can revert back to such a normal life so seamlessly.” Blaine admitted, drinking more of his tea. 

The Doctor smiled. “It’s easy when you have a home and a family to come home to.” 

“I find it’s a nice relief after all the trouble your father manages to get us into,” River said. 

As far as Blaine was concerned his mum was equally to blame so: the Doctor might have had a knack for for finding his way into things and causing a big commotion in the process, but River was definitely the more badass of the two. 

“But that’s enough about us. I’d much rather hear how you’ve been getting on, Blaine,” River commented. 

Something in the tone of her voice put Blaine on edge. She was a woman on a mission and it wasn’t hard to guess what it could be. There were two ways Blaine could respond; he could play ignorant, or he could give her what she wanted. As much as he hated to admit it, the latter was his best option, and would save him a lot of embarrassment as well. 

“I went to Covent Garden with Kurt yesterday, it was a lot of fun. We even ran into Craig, Sophie and Alfie while we were there.” Maybe it was possible to do both after-all. 

“You did? How is old Craig doing? And how about little Alfie! I bet he’s grown!” the Doctor exclaimed, smiling at the news. 

Too bad River wasn’t so easily duped. “Did Kurt enjoy himself?” 

“Yes. We both did,” Blaine answered. 

“Hang on, has Blaine gotten himself a boyfriend already?” the Doctor asked at point blank. 

Blaine sighed. “No, Kurt is a friend of mine. We’re not dating.” 

“A friend who you’ve been with all week and whose name you cannot say without smiling,” River added with a little smirk. 

“How do you know all that?”

“Brittany rang me up yesterday,” River said matter-of-factly. “We ended up having a nice long chat. She’s such a lovely girl. She told me all about how you won’t admit you and Kurt could be more than friends.” 

Blaine was slightly annoyed to learn his mum and Brittany were having conversations about him behind his back. “You and dad know better than anyone how my life could never be that simple.” 

River leaned forward and patted his hand. “Blaine, honey, relationships are never simple to begin with…” 

“I know, but…” Blaine was sick of having to defend his choices so often. “I can’t allow myself to…” Running his hands through his hair, Blaine hunched over until his elbows were touching the table. “What if I did start dating Kurt, it wouldn’t be long before all the things I’d have to hide from him would get in the way. He could find out I have two separate heartbeats and that’s only the beginning. What am I supposed to do if we end up going the distance? He’s bound to notice when I eventually stop aging.” 

“There’s no reason why you can’t tell him the truth when and if that happens, Blaine,” River pointed out in a gentle voice. 

“You’d be okay with that?” Blaine asked. 

The Doctor nodded. “If you trusted him enough then yes, we would. Your mother and I have talked about this before. We want you to be happy son, and we hope you’ll meet someone who will love you for the amazing man you are just as any parent would.” 

This was a lot of new information for Blaine to take in. He wasn’t the least bit prepared for it any of it. 

“It’s your life Blaine, and we’re on your side no matter what. I just hate to see you miss out on something special,” River explained, squeezing his hand. 

“You are jumping the gun a bit as well. You and Kurt met only a week ago after-all,” the Doctor added. 

The fact that neither the Doctor nor River were pressuring him for answers made it easier for Blaine to be honest with them. That still didn’t mean he wanted to admit his biggest fear to them yet. If he were to say them outloud then he would have to accept them. In his hearts he knew that ignoring was never the right answer. Was it so bad for him not wanting to dwell on dark thoughts like that yet? 

“Your father’s right, there’s no need to rush,” River said. “It certainly took the Doctor and me long enough to get together.” 

The Doctor chuckled. “Except our romance was more than your average relationship, dear.” 

“That’s the understatement of the year,” Blaine said, laughing with him. 

They headed out to the gardens next, after the Doctor admitted he wanted to get a bit of pruning done while there was enough daylight. River and Blaine decided to join him outside, but wisely chose to merely observe rather than lend a hand. 

Comfortably seated at their patio table, Blaine filled his parents in on his first week of college and how it had gone. They hung on his every word and his dad asked numerous questions in between his garden work. 

“I’d nearly forgotten how much fun visiting Covent Garden could be,” Blaine said; he hadn’t been there for close to a year. 

“One’s enjoyment often depends on the company they keep, honey,” River replied, sipping at her wine glass as she watched her husband putter around. 

Blaine felt his mobile buzz in his back pants pocket (he always turned it on silent at home) and he brought it out to see who had texted him. A big grin spread across his face from the moment he read Kurt’s name. 

“I gather that’s Kurt calling you up as a friend would.” River’s wine glass wasn’t full enough to hide her smirking face. 

Ignoring her teasing antics, Blaine read Kurt’s message. _**Hey, just checking to see if your phone’s come back to life yet.**_

“Oh that frown does not bode well,” the Doctor muttered, his attention no longer on the shrubbery.

“What is it, honey?” asked River.

Blaine sighed. “It is from Kurt. I’m supposed to let him know if I’m free to meet up with him tomorrow evening or not.” He cast his parents a hopeful grin complete with full on puppy dog eyes. “Am I?” 

“I did ask you to keep the day free Blaine, so I’m afraid the answer is no. We’re meeting Brian for dinner tomorrow, and you father has plans for the four of us afterward.” 

“I got us tickets to see Billy Elliot. It has been far too long since we’ve seen a good musical together,” the Doctor said. 

That was it then. Blaine tried to hide his disappointment. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to spend time with his family. _‘Serves me right for trying to double book.’_

_**I’m sorry. It turns out I’m busy all day tomorrow. Rain check?** _

_Yes of course, Blaine._ He could almost hear Kurt's reassuring voice in his head. _I'll see you on Monday at school._

_**I'm really sorry about this, Kurt.**_

_Don't be, it's not like it's the end of the world. It gives me a chance to start the third book tonight. I’m barely holding out as it is. Don't be a stranger now._

_**Perish the thought!**_

Blaine waited to see if Kurt would send another text message but he seemed to be finished. “Kurt says it’s fine, so I’m set to spend a fun-filled day with you two and Grandad tomorrow then.” 

“I should hope so,” River remarked. 

The Doctor made the last finishing touches on the shrub he was working on before putting his pruning shears away. His garden work apparently done, the Doctor waltzed over to the patio table and accepted the cup of tea River was holding out for him. Drinking it down in one long gulp, he clapped his hands together and asked, “Anyone up for a game of tennis on the Wii? This could be the night you finally beat my high score, Blaine?” 

“Here we go again,” River said, finishing the last of her wine.

“Oh, it’s on, Time Lord,” Blaine announced. 

Father and son raced after one another to the living room, leaving a bemused River to clean up the table on her own. 

“Men.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

With no plans which would take him outside, Kurt chose to spend his first full Sunday in Cambridge in his dorm room. He surprisingly wasn't too disheartened by this either. It wasn’t as if he needed to be with Blaine to have any fun. He was perfectly fine on his own thanks to Lola Robinson’s enthralling novels. With the second book finally finished, Kurt was eager to start the third, even if it meant there were only two more left to read. 

“I’ll pace myself during the week,” Kurt vowed.

Three chapters into ‘Goodbye. Hello’ Kurt decided to take a break and stretch his legs a bit. Seeking a snack, he headed downstairs to make himself a pot of tea. No one seemed to be around, which wasn’t too surprising considering it was Sunday. This would be a good time to check out what British cable had to offer. The TV was most likely free with the lodge being so deserted. 

Kurt took his cup of tea and stepped into the living room just in time to see the front door open. Adam strode through a second later, his carefree smile turning into a puzzle frown when he caught sight of Kurt. 

“I’m surprised to see you inside on such a lovely autumn day, Kurt,” Adam said, closing the door behind him. “I would have thought you’d be out with Blaine.” 

“He had plans with family today.” Kurt was surprised that Adam remembered Blaine’s name. Did that mean he thought they were dating like everyone else did? “No one else was free and I didn’t feel like going anywhere on my own.” Wow, that sounded so codependent. 

“As it happens, I’m also without any plans today so I’d be happy go somewhere with you if you’d like.” 

The fact that Adam already had a boyfriend and thus wasn’t interested in anything but friendship made it easier for Kurt to warm up to the idea. Why should he stay at home when everyone else was out enjoying themselves? His book would still be there waiting for him whenever they got back. 

“I’d like that very much, thank you, Adam,” Kurt replied with a friendly smile. 

“Have you been to Buckingham Palace yet?” 

Kurt shook his head. He had been meaning to go see how the royal family lived with his own two eyes and now seemed a good a time as any. “Just let me run upstairs to make a quick wardrobe change and then we can go.” There was no way Kurt was about to go to Buckingham Palace dressed in a pair of loose fit jeans and plain navy t-shirt (even if they were both designer brands). 

“All right, but be quick about it,” Adam called as Kurt darted upstairs. 

It took Kurt a total of nine minutes to put on something more suitable. Dressed in a much more flattering pair of skinny jeans and a lavender paisley button down shirt, Kurt found Adam right where he had left him by the front door. 

The bus they ended up taking was a little crowded but Kurt persevered by listening to Adam tell him about the places they passed by. The differences between Adam and Blaine became more apparent as time when on. Adam’s comments were more friendly than flirtatious. That in turn, kept the pressure off and Kurt felt slightly more relaxed around him. No, that wasn’t right. Kurt felt just as at ease when he was with Blaine, the atmosphere was slightly different that’s all. 

“I ran into Blaine the other day, he seems like a nice enough bloke,” Adam said. 

Kurt nodded. “Yes he is.” 

“He said you two were friends.” 

“That’s us all right.” Kurt wasn’t sure where Adam was going with this. It didn’t feel like he was going to tease him about it. The older man’s smile was more sympathetic than playful, which made it easier for Kurt to open up. “Or that’s what we’re attempting to be.” 

“Ah,” Adam said. “Was that his idea rather than yours?” 

The desire for relationship advice bypassed Kurt’s usual need for privacy. Why shouldn’t he share his troubles with Adam? He seemed more than happy to offer his thoughts and Kurt felt he was trustworthy enough to share with. And really who else could he ask? 

“Mostly,” Kurt admitted, sighing. “It’s not a big deal, I mean, it’s not like I expected to find my soulmate the second I got here or anything.” 

“Speaking from experiences, love tends to creep up on you when you least expect it. I met my boyfriend when I was at an all time personal low.” 

Kurt hoped his own situation wouldn’t need to become so dire to find the love of his life. “Can I ask you something?” Adam’s kind smile in response was all the encouragement needed to continue. “It could be nothing but I’d rather get a second opinion just to be safe. I’d hate things to become awkward between Blaine and I...” 

“I’ll help as best I can,” Adam said. 

“Okay, so it’s basically been like this; Blaine and I met on Monday, became fast friends, and soon our natural rapport with one another began to turn from friendly into flirty without either of us realizing. At first anyway. I know I’m new to this sort of thing but it feels like that should mean something.” 

“And what does Blaine think?” 

“He seems to think he’s terrible at romance and we’re much better off at friends.” Kurt hadn’t meant to grumble his response so loudly. 

“I take it you don’t agree with this?” 

Kurt leaned forward until his elbows were resting on his knees. “Who can say. On the one side, I understand where Blaine’s coming from. I’d personally hate to see my own inexperience with relationships ruin our growing friendship. But at the same time, I don’t want to shy away from romantic feelings anymore.” 

“Nor should you, Kurt,” Adam agreed. “There have been many times when I’ve fancied someone who didn’t feel the same way--and I don’t mean straight men either. Sometimes it’s not meant to be and there’s nothing you can do about it. There’s no rule that two single gay men cannot have platonic friendships with one another.” He reached out to touch Kurt’s shoulder lightly for a moment of quiet support.

“We both promised to be honest with each other and it’s been working so far…” 

“But you’re worried it could change at some point?” 

Kurt nodded. “Yes, exactly.” 

“It’s a fair enough concern of course, and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

“And if things weren’t difficult enough, everyone we run into either thinks we’re already dating, or keeps telling us how we should be when they find out we’re not.” Kurt was amazed that there wasn’t bigger and better news going around then his and Blaine’s ongoing relationship status. _‘That’s what I get for enrolling in a dramatic arts school.’_

Adam, who had been looking out the window, gave Kurt an encouraging smile. “The only advice I have for you is to try not to become too swept up in your growing friendship with Blaine. If you’re not careful then people will assume you two are dating as you’ve said. You may think there’s nothing wrong it they do, but it could keep any potential admirers from approaching you.” 

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Kurt muttered as the realization hit him. The idea that anyone would find him desirable enough to ask him out seemed so impossible still. 

“You’re only a week into the semester so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” 

Nodding, Kurt willed himself to put the thought aside for the time being; figuring out boundaries with Blaine could wait. Buckingham Palace was calling to him and Kurt was eager to answer. Who knew. Maybe there was a handsome prince on a shining white horse waiting for his fated arrival there? He knew the likelihood was slim to none, but it was fun to daydream about for the remainder of the bus ride. 

At this point, he’d settle for an affordable knock off of the Crown jewels.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

“I'm telling you that prison warden got terribly fresh with me when he threw me into jail without a fair trial!” John exclaimed to his family as they walked together down the streets of London.

“You insulted the emperor's daughter sweetie, in their minds that was all the justification they needed,” Melody said.

“Well how was I to know that she wasn't even pregnant!” John grumbled.

“I suppose that’s what happens when you flirt with people other than your wife,” Melody said with a teasing smile. 

John rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t flirting with her. When I said she was practically glowing with maternal energy I was trying to give her a compliment.” 

No amount of traveling all over the universe could stop the Doctor and River Song from their usual playful banter. Not even when they were safely back on earth and in their human John and Melody Anderson personas. It was business as usual for the couple as Blaine watched them in amusement along with Brian a few steps away. 

“I really enjoyed Billy Elliott, Dad. Thanks for buying us tickets to it,” Blaine said when there was a quick break in his parents conversation. 

John’s eyes lit up with childlike excitement. “It was good, wasn’t? It’s been far too long since I’ve seen a good show.” Taking hold of Melody’s hand, he slowed their pace until Blaine and Brian caught up with them. He threw his free arm over his son’s shoulder and headed off again, beaming all of the way. “How about we find a pub for dinner next?” 

“That is an excellent idea John, and I know just the place, which is fortunately a short walk away.” Brian turned to his granddaughter. “Come this way Melody, dear, we’ll both go ahead and see how long of a wait there is.” John released his wife’s hand so her and Brian could go off on their own without a word of protest. “You’ll know the place I’m mean, the one with the amazing nosh.” 

Blaine watched Brian and Melody chat as they walked together arm in arm. It warmed his hearts to see them both so happy together. The loss of Rory and Amy would never fully go away, but at least they had each other now. 

“If only people knew the trouble those two have gotten into. Your mother and I have been talking about inviting Brian along with us for our next excursion. Would you mind if we did, son?” John asked, but when Blaine didn’t reply he added, “Blaine? Is everything all right? Would you rather we not? I’d understand why you’d prefer us not to…” 

Off in his own world, Blaine narrowed his eyes in disbelief. _‘No, it couldn’t be.’_ They were just uncanny look alikes. He wished he could get a closer look to be sure, but he was afraid that, if it was them, they might see him. 

“Blaine? Are you listening to--” 

Blaine suddenly grabbed onto his dad’s shoulders and pulled him back behind the corner before he could finish the question. 

“What in the blazes is going on?” John demanded, raising his voice. 

“Shh!” Blaine hissed. “Keep quiet or they might hear us.” 

“What? What's going on? What have I missed?” 

Now on high alert, John jerked his head around in the search of danger. “Who is it, Blaine? Daleks? Aliens? It better not be those bloody Weeping Angels again. Your mother and I have dealt with them more than enough as it is.” 

“No, it’s nothing like that, Dad. It’s Kurt.” There was no mistaking Kurt and the form fitting skinny jeans he was wearing. But who was the man he was with? He looked familiar… Blaine narrowed his eyes. _‘Hold on, that’s Adam.’_ Why were they out together? “That man he’s with is Adam, he’s Kurt’s dorm R.A.” 

Kurt and Adam were talking side by side the next block over and they appeared to be enjoying each other a great deal. The toothy grin which was spread across Kurt’s face said it all, as did how he kept on giggling over and over at Adam’s comments. What Blaine wouldn’t give to hear what they were saying. _‘I wonder if dad would lend me his sonic screwdriver.’_ Surely it had a listening device setting. 

“Why are we hiding behind a corner if it’s Kurt? Isn’t he a friend of yours?” John asked with a puzzled frown. 

_‘Yes, Blaine, why exactly are are you hiding?’_ His inner conscience asked, except Blaine wasn’t too keen on learning the answer. What he really wanted to know was whether or not Kurt and Adam were on a date. 

The clues before him weren’t helping Blaine very much. Kurt’s clothes were on the more fashionable side, but then, that was how he tended to dress. Adam wasn’t helping either with that semi casual (and although he hated to admit it, rather flattering) grey wool coat of his covering him up. 

“Your silence on the matter concerns me Blaine, what are you not telling me and why?” John asked, pulling his son by the arm to get his attention. 

“There’s nothing going on…” 

John raised a suspicious eyebrow. “Blaine Devon Anderson.” He had used his middle name, that was never a good sign. “Are you so ashamed of your father that you’re bent on hiding me from your friends?” 

“Who said anything about me being ashamed of you?” Blaine blurted back. On the inside he was relieved that his dad had drawn the wrong conclusion. He was about to comment on this when he heard Kurt’s musical laughter again. Scowling, he looked back to see Kurt folded over and leaning on Adam’s broad shoulder as he continued to laugh. 

Jealousy coursed through Blaine’s ignorant body. “Does it look like they’re on a date to you?” 

“I’m afraid I have no idea, Blaine. I’m hardly an expert on dating. The one you should be asking is your mother.” 

Blaine rolled his eyes. He could only imagine the amount of embarrassment Melody would put him through if he were to ask her. 

“And what are you two boys up to?” Melody asked from behind them. 

“We’re apparently spying on Blaine’s friend Kurt, who may or may not be on a date right now,” John answered. 

Ignoring his parents, Blaine slowly inched around the corner; he was going to lose Kurt at this rate and he didn’t want to until he knew if he was on a date or not. His reason wasn’t because he was jealous of Adam, or that’s what he told himself as he crept along. It would be less awkward for him to know now so he could keep himself from involuntarily flirting with Kurt the next time they saw one another. 

A sudden thought entered his mind. Was this why Kurt had been fine with Blaine not seeing him today? Had he already made plans with Adam or was it a spur of the moment sort of thing? 

“I know I should be saying ‘shame on you for spying’ but before we get to that, which one of them is Kurt?” Melody asked an unsuspecting Blaine. 

Blaine turned to see his mum and dad were standing behind him looking far from amused at their son’s questionable antics. “Kurt’s the shorter one, the other man is Adam, the R.A at the dorm Kurt’s staying at.” 

“I thought so, and Kurt is just as gorgeous as I imagined he would be. Though that Adam isn’t so bad looking either. If he is on a date then Kurt has exceptional taste in men…” 

“Mum, please!” Blaine cried out in mortified horror. “What if they heard you?” 

Melody rolled her eyes. “It would serve you right for spying on them.” 

“I know, I know,” Blaine muttered, and since he knew what he was doing was wrong, he didn’t keep following after Kurt and Adam when they turned a sudden corner. 

“I believe someone is in need of a drink,” John said, laying a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “My treat.” 

Blaine let his dad lead him back towards the pub. Melody was keeping oddly quiet but her warm expression was one of sympathy rather than disapproval. Maybe a drink would do him some good. He definitely needed to keep his mind off of Kurt and the jealous feelings seeing him out with Adam had triggered. 

“Just because you can legally buy your son a drink doesn’t mean you should, sweetie,” Melody pointed out. 

“Who said anything about buying him something alcoholic? I’m going to treat him to a jumbo chocolate milkshake.” 

Chocolate it was then, with any luck, Blaine could leave his petty trouble about Kurt’s dating life behind at the door.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

As it turned out, Blaine’s sweet tooth wasn’t the only thing that was quenched at the pub. Once he reduced his tall frosty glass of chocolate heaven into whipped-cream remnants, Blaine’s high spirits began to sink again. In his good-natured innocence Brian had offered to buy his grandson (who was 18 after-all now) a beer to drown his sorrows (whatever they were, Blaine wouldn’t say). Things had started out well enough, Blaine felt a little better half way into his beer, and by his second glass he was downright cheerful. 

It wasn’t until he was dancing up on tabletops that his parents realized how drunk their lightweight son was and that was it. The Anderson family promptly called it a night and carted Blaine home. A feat that was made easier by the fact that Blaine, who had danced the night away, had passed out and was fast asleep. 

Melody was still shaking her head as she watched Brian and John carrying Blaine through the front door. “What were you thinking letting him get drunk like that, Granddad.” 

“I hadn’t realized he’d had two whole glasses,” Brian admitted with guilt in his solemn eyes. “That waitress brought him a second one when I wasn’t looking. Between you and me, I think she fancied him.” 

“Too bad for her the reason he had too much to drink was because of a boy,” said John, who carefully placed his son down on the living room sofa. 

Melody shook her head. “A boy he swears he has no romantic feelings for.” She watched Blaine’s peaceful slumber for a moment before turning back to the men. “I’ll give you a lift home, Grandad. I’ve forgotten how therapeutic driving an automobile can be.” 

“Be sure to tell Blaine I’m sorry when he wakes,” Brian told John as he looked down at his grandson. 

“I’m sure Blaine would say he’s the one who should be sorry if he was awake right now. I wouldn’t worry too much, he’s young so it was only inevitable that something like this would happen,” John said, smiling. 

“I’m just glad he had the sense to get drunk when we were there to look out for him,” Melody added. “He rarely lets himself go that much. I think Blaine will be in for quite the morning tomorrow.” 

John, who had let his perception filter drop now that they were safely inside, saw Brian and Melody off before returning to Blaine’s side. Looking young and more like the Doctor he was normally known as, he took on the role of nursemaid. First he made sure his son was comfortable enough by taking off his jacket and shoes and laying two crocheted blankets (made by the Doctor’s own hands) over him. Just to be safe the Doctor placed an empty bucket close to Blaine in the off chance he did feel sick during the night. His work was nearly done when he had a sudden thought and bent over Blaine in search of his mobile. 

“Kids these days are text mad, so I’d best be sure you didn’t send any drunken messages.” the Doctor muttered to himself as he searched for the item in question. Luckily for him, Blaine’s mobile ended up being in his inside jacket pocket and thus easy to retrieve. 

Sure enough he found three messages, two of which had been sent and the third was left unfinished. The Doctor sighed and brought out his sonic screwdriver, pointing it at his phone, he used the mobile link to delete the message in the recipients’ (Sam and Brittany) mobiles. The fact that neither of his friends had sent a reply hopefully meant they hadn’t had a chance to read his text. Not that they were all that embarrassing, the one to Sam was a video of Blaine singing out to ‘Roar’ by Katy Perry, and the second one to Brittany had simply said ‘I love beer as much as boys’ followed by ten smiley emoticons. 

The third one however was far more worrying. Blaine was a very lucky man indeed. The message that hadn’t gone through was to Kurt and read, ‘Make sure Adam pays for dinner before he gets any dessert, Kurt’ and the sight of it made the Doctor run his hand over his face. 

“Oh Blaine my boy, you have got it bad, and I can only imagine what would have happened if Kurt had seen this.” The Doctor erased the message from Blaine’s phone. It was better he not know about it at all or else he’d never forgive himself. 

The Doctor decided to send Kurt a different message in his son’s place. 

_I hope you had a fun time today even if I couldn’t be there._

That didn’t feel too flirtatious to the Doctor, and if it was then maybe that was for the best. The Doctor closed the phone and placed it on the table a safe distance away from Blaine. He knew waiting to see if Kurt would answer would encroach on his son’s personal business. 

“You can thank me in the morning, son,” the Doctor said, leaving him to sleep it all off. 

Blaine mumbled in his sleep as his phone buzzed with Kurt’s reply before going black again. 

_**I did, thanks. See you tomorrow at school, Blaine.** >/i>_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

 

From the moment Blaine’s eyes opened, a mind-numbing pain pierced its way through his head. If that wasn’t bad enough, his mouth was was dry and his body felt heavy and sore. 

His eyes finally focused enough to see someone was hovering over him. “Where am I?” 

“At home, as in the family house, and not your new apartment.” 

Blessed coolness touched his brow and Blaine let out a sigh of relief. “Dad?” 

“The one and only.” The Doctor smiled down at his son. “How are you feeling?” 

Blaine groaned. “Terrible.” His memories of the night prior slowly began to come back to him. Any physical discomfort he felt was nothing compared to how embarrassed he was over his careless actions. “What was I thinking?” He had never drank so much that he’d gotten a hangover before. 

“It’s easy, you clearly weren’t thinking at all,” River said, stepping into view and staring down at her bedridden son. She was dressed for business in a smart looking royal blue pant suit and matching fedora hat. 

“Off to your meeting with then, Dear?”

“Yes I’m meeting him at our usual coffee shop now because we are clearly in no shape to entertain here,” River said though her smile at Blaine was more playful than judging. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I’ll leave you to to look after our _little boy_ while I’m away, Sweetie.” 

Waving goodbye to his wife, the Doctor snapped into action and placed a glass of water in Blaine’s one hand and a two pain killers in the other. He watched as his son took a drink before swallowing both pills down after offering his thanks. 

“What time is it anyway?” Blaine hoped it wasn’t too late in the day; he’d hate to miss any of his classes so early into the semester. 

“It’s a quarter to ten in the morning. I was going to call in sick for you but River reminded me that you’re not in high school anymore.” 

He had only missed his first class then; that wasn’t so bad. If he were lucky, his headache would clear up just in time for him to make it to the second half of the school day still. Blaine took another drink of water before setting it down on the coffee table. The first thing he needed to do was take a shower. He could only imagine how horrible he looked right now. What would Kurt say if he could see the state he was in? Blaine shuddered. The one consoling thought he had was the fact that no one but his family knew how far he had fallen from grace last night. All he needed to do was pick himself back up, have some coffee, and get ready to face the day.

Easier said than done when Blaine felt like he had been hit by a train. His first attempts to rise were beyond pathetic. 

“Easy now, there’s no need to rush. At least wait until the painkillers kick in before you head off.” The Doctor ruffled Blaine’s messy head of curls with his hand. “And cheer up, you’re hardly the first college freshman to wake up with a hangover on a Monday morning.” 

Blaine slumped back down on the couch with a tired sigh. “Yeah but it’s sure a first for me.” This wasn’t who he was, he was always so careful whenever he drank. A chilling thought entered his mind. “Dad… I didn’t say or do anything that might give away our--” 

“Shh,” the Doctor soothed. “There’s no reason for you to worry, nothing bad happened. In fact, you were rather entertaining; you put on quite the musical number for everyone at the bar. The worst thing I discovered was the two five-pound notes shoved down your pants. Don’t asks me when that happened but you were never out of our sight for long, so I doubt you did anything truly obscene to obtain them.”

“Oh, my god,” Blaine said, groaning in embarrassment. The worst part was the reason why he had gotten drunk in the first place. If all it took was seeing Kurt out with another man then his plans to keep their relationship platonic had been doomed from the start. 

The Doctor picked up Blaine’s empty glass. “Would you like anything for breakfast?” 

“Some toast and coffee would be great dad, thanks.” Blaine was able to stand up this time, but he was a little wobbly on his legs still. “It’s a good thing my laundry’s still here; I’ll have something new to wear. I think I might be able to catch my eleven o’clock class at this rate.” 

Already in the kitchen with loaf of bread in hand, the Doctor replied, “I’d be happy to give you a lift.”

“Didn’t mum take the car?” Blaine would rather be late than allow his dad to drop him off in the Tardis. 

“There’s no need to fret, Blaine, River called a cab. Did you really think I’d be daft enough to take the Tardis?” 

Blaine flashed his dad a sheepish grin. “Well…” 

“Lucky for you that your father’s such a gracious man or you’d be making your own breakfast. Now go take a shower before I change my mind and leave you to fend for yourself.”

 

There was once a time when any sort of threat the Doctor made was always taken seriously, and for good reason. Thankfully this wasn’t one of them so Blaine grinned back at his dad while offering a hearty salute. 

“Yes sir.” 

Blaine returned to the kitchen to find not only toast and coffee but pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs laid out on the table for him.   
__________________________________________________________________________

When Kurt made it to class, he was surprised to discover that Blaine was nowhere to be found; at first he thought Blaine was running late, but then he wasn’t there for his second class either. Concerned, Kurt sent Blaine a text asking where he was. When he got no reply, that only raised more flags in his already troubled mind. Blaine didn’t seem like the kind of person who would skip class. So where was he and why hadn’t he called back yet? Was he sick? If that were the case, then it could explain his radio silence. He might be bedridden and in no state of mind to contact Kurt. The scenario calmed Kurt somewhat, but not for very long; Blaine would have called him (or someone) if he were sick, unless it was something really serious. 

The last time Kurt had heard from Blaine was late last night when Blaine had sent a single text. Since then, there had been nothing, not so much as a ‘hey’ via text message. That wasn’t like Blaine at all. 

He was considering dropping by Blaine’s apartment at lunch when the man in question appeared just in time for their third class together. 

“Blaine! There you are. I was getting super worried about what had happened to you.” 

“Sorry.” Smiling sheepishly, Blaine took slow careful steps as he walked over to Kurt and sat down beside him.

“What happened?” And why was he refusing eye contact? 

“Um well, to be honest…” Blaine paused for a moment and then sighed. “Against my better judgement, I sort of had one too many beer last night and I ended up paying the price for it this morning.” 

It took a second for Kurt to realize what Blaine meant. “Wait, you mean you got drunk last night?” The idea that Blaine, who according to Brittany and Sam never let himself go, getting drunk enough to wake up with a killer hangover seemed completely unheard of. “Seriously?”

“I’m afraid so,” Blaine slumped down in his chair. “It’s a good thing I was with my family at a pub or it could have been a lot worse.” A smile that looked somewhat forced spread across his face. “In spite of how pathetic that might sound.” 

Kurt patted Blaine’s shoulder. “Oh I dunno, I think I’d rather get drunk at a pub with my parents that at some wild house party, Blaine.”

“It wasn’t so bad fortunately; apparently all I did was dance and sing around the pub.” His blushing face led Kurt to believe there was more to the story, but he was fine to wait until they were alone to hear the rest of it. 

“I would have paid good money to have seen that.” Kurt wondered what kind of drunk Blaine was. Off the top of his head he imagined that Blaine was quite the happy drunk; the fact that he’d broken out in song seemed to support his theory as well. Sam and Brittany would know, or would they? He’d have to ask them later on when enough time had passed to spare Blaine any further embarrassment. 

As if he were trying to hide himself away from the world, Blaine slid further down in his chair. “Trust me, you wouldn’t. I searched through social media with my dad this morning and as far as we can tell no one who was at the pub filmed any of it.” 

“No harm done then,” Kurt said with a playful grin. “Other than the hangover I assumed you woke up with.” 

“I’ve recovered from it thankfully--more or less. I only wish I had remembered to turn my phone back on this morning. I should have contacted you Kurt, I hope I didn’t worry you too much.” 

He wasn’t about to admit the outlandish scenarios than had run through his head during those tense last few minutes before Blaine had appeared. “It’s okay. I’m just relieved that you’re all right.” 

“Thanks.” The fact that Kurt wasn’t making a big deal of things seemed to put Blaine more at ease. It wasn’t long before he had straightened himself in his seat and was his normally cheerful and charming self. 

It was a good thing too, because their professor walked in a second later. Blaine put his attention towards their lesson, but not without smiling and making cute little comments to Kurt now and then. By the time the class was over, Blaine appeared to be in high spirits and the shameful events of the night prior were long behind him. 

“So what was your Sunday night like Kurt, was it as eventful as mine?” Blaine asked as they entered the cafeteria.

“I dunno if it was as eventful but it was enjoyable. I read for a while and then Adam showed up at the lodge and offered to take me sightseeing.” Kurt realized Blaine might not remember who he was. “You remember who Adam is right?” 

Blaine nodded. “He’s the R.A at Carley. We met once, but only in passing. So where did you two end up going?” 

Kurt smiled as he got in the lunch queue. “We went to Buckingham Palace, it was amazing Blaine. I wish you had been there with us, Adam and I had a blast running around taking silly photos and selfies all over the place. I know it’s a total cliche, but I couldn’t resist taking one with one of the members of the guard either. I’m too ashamed to post that one online, but I’ll let you have a look at it.” 

“Wow that is hilarious,” Blaine said, except he wasn’t laughing when he handed Kurt’s phone back after barely looking at it. 

If Kurt didn’t know that Blaine had gotten drunk last night then he might have found his sour demeanor more concerning. It made sense if he wasn’t feeling so hot yet and was trying to hide it from everyone at school. Poor guy. Kurt could only imagine the kind of hell he had gone through this morning. 

“So did you and Adam go anywhere else after Buckingham?” 

“He took me to a pub in London that makes the most delicious cocktails I’ve ever tasted. I’ll tell you Blaine, Adam sure knows the best places to take newcomers like me to.” 

“Lucky you,” Blaine commented, but his tone sounded very envious. 

Blaine went oddly silent as they paid for their meals and claimed their usual table. There had to be more going on than nursing a stubborn hangover. What else could it be though? Was he jealous of Adam? Kurt doubted it. That felt too petty for him. Maybe it was more simple than jealousy. Blaine’s sour mood might be because he was feeling left out.

“Just so you know, you’re an equally excellent guide, Blaine. I mentioned you to Adam a lot yesterday and you’re welcome to ask him if you don’t believe me.” 

“I’ll take your word for it.” Blaine’s smile was exactly the type of playful response Kurt had been hoping for. “So I was thinking, there’s no reason why we need to wait until the weekend to go out shopping together like we planned. We could even go today…” His cute grin suddenly changed to a full on flirtatious smirk. “Unless you’d rather go with, Adam,” Blaine said with a teasing grin. 

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Playful banter with Blaine was quickly becoming one of his favourite pastimes. 

Except Blaine’s reaction put an end to their fun before it had barely begun. “Oh um, well I…” He squirmed in his seat. “I didn’t. I was just--”

“Blaine, I’m obviously kidding.” If Blaine couldn’t tell that Kurt’s fluttering eyes and playful grin meant he was teasing then he definitely wasn’t fully recovered yet. “Are you sure you’re well enough to be here?”

“I’m fine, just tired. I’ll be good once I have another cup of coffee.” 

“And a nap once school’s finished, or else I won’t let you take me shopping tonight,” warned Kurt, who made sure his playful smile was extremely obvious this time even though he was serious about Blaine taking a nap first. 

“Is that really necessary?” Blaine asked, yawning as soon as he finished the sentence. “Okay maybe you’re right about needing a nap, but only for thirty minutes.” 

“One hour.” Kurt put out his hand in stubborn defiance. 

“Forty-five minutes.” 

Kurt and Blaine stared at each other, neither one refusing to budge, until Blaine ended up yawning again. 

“One hour Blaine, I _insist_. The stores will still be open once you’re properly rested up. Now then, do we have a deal?” 

“Okay fine, have it your way. Deal. I’ll take a nap for one hour, but not a second more.” 

Satisfied with his win, Kurt took hold of Blaine’s hand so they could shake on it.   
_____________________________________________________________________________

An hours nap turned out to be exactly what the doctor (or rather, Kurt) ordered. Blaine woke up feeling recharged and refreshed. It was a fact he admitted to Kurt when he called him up to say he could come over to his apartment as planned. 

In high spirits, Blaine stood in front of his full length mirror inspecting the outfit he’d put together. Ever since he’d befriended Kurt, Blaine had started to put in extra effort in his clothes and today was no different. He’d first put on a purple striped slim fit button down to add a splash of colour while the dark grey distressed jeans he’d pieced them with created the more casual look he had been going for. To top it off, Blaine had gone for one of his favourite cardigans; it’s lapel style collar with a double button setting and front pockets offered the comfort of a sweater and the sophistication of a blazer. All that was left for him to do was decide which bow tie he would wear and his ensemble would be complete. 

Blaine had narrowed it down to two when he heard the doorbell ring. Not bothering to put them down, he dashed over to the front door to let Kurt in. 

“Hi, Blaine,” Kurt said, giving him a cheerful smile. “Whoops. It looks like I got here a bit too soon.” 

Blaine looked at the bow ties he was holding onto and blushed. “Oh, no, it’s fine, I was taking too long getting dressed. I’ll be ready as soon as I throw one of these on and--” 

“Stop right there. Blaine, you should never rush when it comes to fashion. Now let me see.” Kurt took hold of the bow ties so he could study them properly. “The navy one is a solid choice but it’s a little too on the safe side for my liking.” He handed the rejected bow tie back to its owner. “While this black with white skull print one could work. Wait, is this…” Kurt’s eyes widened when he found the brand label. “Oh, my god this is by Alexander McQueen! I’m so freaking jealous!” 

“You’re welcome to wear if you like, Kurt.” He was already conveniently wearing a white dress shirt and a black vest that were nearly perfect for it. “I’ve got plenty of others to wear instead. Bow ties in general that is, not just ones by Alexander McQueen. I’d be honoured if you’d choose one for me to wear today.” 

“Do you have any by Paul Smith?” Kurt asked with a hopeful grin. 

Blaine draped his arm over Kurt’s shoulder as he guided them towards his bedroom. “Why yes I do.” 

It didn’t take Kurt very long to go through Blaine’s impressive bow tie collection and find the ones that were made by Paul Smith. One of them ended up matching Blaine’s outfit perfectly, which he and Kurt shared a good laugh over. 

Kurt put his choice around Blaine’s neck; it was navy with white polka dots and tiny red hearts scattered throughout the pattern. “May I do the honours?” 

“Be my guest.” Blaine stood as still as possible as Kurt skillfully tied his bow tie for him. He wasn’t used to having their faces be so close to one another; had his eyes always been this blue? 

“There, how’s that?” asked Kurt when he was finished. 

Blaine looked at his reflection and smiled. “Tied to perfection.” The only person he knew who could do it better was his dad, but Kurt was almost as good. “Shall I return the favour?” 

“Um, sure.” Kurt’s cheeks blushed light pink as Blaine’s shaky hands neared his neck. 

_‘Pull yourself together,’_ Blaine chided himself. _‘There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re just helping out a friend.’_ A friend whose flushed face looked far too cute for his own good. He needed something to focus on other than Kurt’s attractive features.

“So who taught you how to tie a bow tie, Blaine?”

“My dad. How about you?” 

Kurt smiled. “My mom tied them for me when I was little. I never let myself wear them after she passed away when I was seven. I was too afraid of standing out to wear any in junior high and high school. So I guess you could say I’m a self taught bow tie tie-er. Thank goodness for Youtube; I learned everything I needed to know from tutorial videos.” 

The reminder that Kurt had lost his mother at such a young age filled Blaine with compassion. It might have happened years ago and long before they had met but neither fact mattered. Kurt was here with him now and even though he was good at hiding it, the pain of her loss was still felt; Blaine could see in his eyes. Blaine’s hands found their way to Kurt’s shoulder once he had finished with the bow tie. 

Blaine smiled at Kurt, who did the same and they shared a tender look of acknowledgement which one another. 

“There, all done. It suits you, Kurt,” Blaine said in a soft voice. 

Turning around to face the mirror, Kurt checked out Blaine’s handiwork for himself. “Thanks for lending it to me.” 

“Any idea what I should buy for my flat today?” asked Blaine in attempts to lighten the mood. 

“Well…” Kurt looked around the room for inspiration. “For starters, this bedroom could use more colour in it. You could do that by buying some better curtains that aren’t such a boring shade of white. Aside from that…” Apparently deep in thought, he tapped his finger on his lips as he walked around. “These walls could use some art pieces for sure. Another idea is to get a cork board and pin photos and other fun things to it. I’ve been meaning to do that in my own room actually.” 

Everything Kurt had suggested so far sounded great to Blaine. They headed back into the living room next where the assessment continued. 

“It’s a bit tricker out here Blaine, you definitely need more lamps and an end table or two. The problem is, it would be pretty hard to bring stuff like that on the bus.” 

“We could always take my car. It’s not very roomy but we should manage well enough with what you have in mind to buy.” 

Kurt did a double take. “Wait. You have car?” 

“I sure do.” 

“Then why is this the first time I’m hearing about it?” Kurt’s surprised face was almost as adorable as his flustered one. “Not to mention I’ve never seen you near a car let alone driving one.”

Blaine offered a playful shrug. This was one thing about him he didn’t have any trouble explaining. “I prefer taking the bus when I can. It’s more environmentally friendly for one thing.” What Kurt didn’t know was his dad had installed a special engine from the future that cleaned the air around it even when the car was parked. “You know how much I love to walk.” 

The chance to leisurely sit in a car instead of on a crowded bus must have been too tempting for Kurt to resist because he didn’t even tease Blaine about it. 

“It’s not much,” Blaine said on their way to where it was parked around back. He’d purposely chosen an older model that a college student could realistically afford to own. 

Blaine’s humble car, which was red, a four seater and had originally been made in the early 2000s, looked the same as it had the last time he had driven it. When was that again? It had been a while. Not since he’d first moved into the apartment? Or maybe a day or two after. It was a good thing he and Kurt were taking it or what was the point in having a car at all? 

“Aww, it’s super cute,” Kurt said. “And you’ve kept it in amazing shape. I can tell everything is in really good condition. Just look at these tires! My dad would be impressed.” 

“It’s all thanks to my dad I must admit, although he did teach me about the mechanics and how to fix any problems I might run into.”

One of Blaine’s most treasured memories was the year that he and his dad rebuilt a fifty-nine chevy in the driveway when he was thirteen. They had spent hours getting covered in grease and making a few mistakes along the way, but the time they’d shared had made it all worthwhile. It had been hard work but they’d managed to get the old car up and running by the fall and without using anything from another word or time period. The Doctor still had the car and regularly cruised around Cambridge in the summer; he even let Blaine take the wheels as often as he liked as well. 

“My own education was more out of necessity, I used to work at my dad’s shop for extra cash. I kind of like that I know how to fix car engines though. It get to be practical and debunk a gay stereotype at the same time,” Kurt explained. 

“That’s something I not only understand but also admire in you, Kurt.” 

Kurt stopped in front of the driver side of the vehicle. “It’s hard to believe I haven’t been in a car since my taxi ride to Carlyle Lodge. That was sure a weird experience for me. I am getting used to being on the opposite side of the road, albeit slowly. I’m actually relieved that I can’t get my license here even if I wanted to.” 

“I’m an excellent driver for the record, so you’ll be safe and sound with me,” Blaine assured as he opened the passenger door. 

“I have complete faith in you, Blaine.” Eyes fluttering, Kurt graciously climbed inside the car. 

Blaine heard his phone ring on his way to the driver side. The contact name he saw caught him by surprise and he quickly hit the answer button. 

“Hello, Blaine? This is Sophie, I’m so glad I was able to reach you!” 

“Oh, hey there Sophie,” Blaine said. This had to be the first time she had called him up directly. “I hope everything’s okay.” 

“Not exactly. I know it’s short notice, but does your offer as our emergency babysitter still stand?” 

“Um.” Blaine glanced at Kurt, who was watching him from the passenger seat curiously. He hated to cancel their plans, but Sophie sounded so desperate. Kurt mouthed ‘what’s up?’ to him and Blaine held his finger up before resuming the phone call. “Yes of course it does, what’s the situation?” 

“You’re a doll, Blaine,” Sophie replied, sighing with audible relief. “It’s Craig’s and my anniversary today and our usual sitter can’t make it. Neither of our parents can take Alfie until later this evening. I called Melody but she’s busy with her work so she suggested giving you a call to see if you could help us.” 

Blaine climbed inside his car. “When would you need me to come over?” 

“As soon as you’re able? It would only be for about four hours or so. Craig’s mum will be able to pick up Alfie after then.” 

“All right.” So much for hoping he could go shopping with Kurt. Blaine told Sophie to hold on for a moment while he filled his friend in on the details. 

“You should help them out Blaine, we can always go shopping on a different day.”

“Is that Kurt with you right now?” asked Sophie, who must have heard his voice. “He’s welcome to keep you company if you like, I know Craig won’t mind.” 

Turning to Kurt with a grin, Blaine asked, “How about it, Kurt? Are you up for being my co-babysitter tonight? I know it’s not what we planned to do but--” 

“I’d love to,” Kurt answered without any hesitation, beaming back at him. “You don’t even need to split the pay with me.” 

Sophie laughed (Blaine had switched the phone to speaker). “Blaine never let’s us pay him. But I insist you order a pizza for yourselves tonight at the very least.” 

A night spent looking after a toddler (even one as adorable as Alfie) wasn’t what Blaine would normally call an amazing evening. Good thing he had the perfect partner in crime to keep him company. Kurt didn’t seemed too disheartened about missing out on their night of shopping either; his beaming smile was downright adorable actually. 

“Right then. Tell Craig not to worry because Kurt and I are on our way.” Blaine started up the engine and handed his phone to Kurt before backing his car out onto the road. 

Babysitting may not be what Blaine would consider to be an adventure, but with Kurt as his faithful companion, who needed the Tardis to make sure it would be a night for them to remember.   
______________________________________________________________________________

Kurt had never been around children very much (or at all), so the idea of being responsible for one felt very daunting to him. He wouldn’t have agreed to it if his actual job was more than keeping Blaine company. That didn’t mean that Kurt wasn’t willing to lend a hand, just as long as his clothes didn’t get dirty in the process. 

The house in front of them looked very homey, it was the sort of dwelling Kurt could see himself living in one day. 

“I had no idea you were an on-call babysitter, Blaine,” Kurt teased as he followed Blaine up the front walkway. 

“My mum used to look after Alfie for them whenever their usual sitter couldn’t. I offered to take her place now that’s she’s off travelling with dad and isn’t home that often. Craig and Sophie are old friends of the family; my dad’s basically the reason they got together a few years back.” 

“Craig said something about he and your dad being roommates at some point?”

Blaine stopped at the front door and let out an awkward laugh. “Craig was over exaggerating when he said that. My dad stayed with Craig a few years ago when he needed to stay in London for work. He’s been a guest speaker for colleges for years and he’s never been one to stay in hotels. He’d much prefer getting to know the locals. Mum and I were off visiting relatives so he was on his own for once too. My dad ended up answering Craig’s ‘roommate wanted’ advert in the paper.” 

The front door swung open after Blaine’s knuckle had barely touched it, revealing a frazzled Craig who beamed at the sight of them. “Blaine! You are a bloody lifesaver mate, thanks for coming to our rescue tonight!”

“We’re happy to help,” Blaine said, accepting Craig’s hug of appreciation. 

“Blaine’s dragged you along as well, Kurt?” Craig asked, smirking at them both. “Couldn’t stand to be alone for even one night there, eh, Blaine?” The scowl Blaine produced didn’t seem to intimidate him enough to stop his teasing. “His dad’s the same way; they both act like they’re fine on their own but it’s not long before they start feeling lost and lonely.” 

Blaine was spared from any further mortification when Sophie showed up at the door looking as nerved racked as her boyfriend. “Thank you again for coming boys, you two are angels for coming to our rescue like this.” 

“We’re happy to help, right, Kurt?” Blaine asked. 

Kurt nodded. “More than happy to.” 

“Is Alfie upstairs?” Blaine stepped inside and let Sophie take his coat. 

“Yes, he’s sleeping for now but he should wake up soon since it’s almost past his naptime. I can’t thank you enough for coming on such short notice. I’ve been so stressed that we’d have to cancel. We had to make a reservation months in advance at the restaurant and then there’s the hotel on top of that--” 

Craig placed his hands on Sophie's shoulder. “Honey relax, Kurt and Blaine and here now so we can celebrate our anniversary as planned. Alfie will be well looked after so why don’t you go get ready.” 

“Yes you’re right. I’m not even dressed yet.” Sophie was wearing a bathrobe. “I should have my makeup on by now. I hope we can make our reservation on time.” 

“It sounds to me like you could use a hand, Sophie,” Kurt said, smiling. Years of watching makeover reality TV shows had prepared him for this moment. It would be nice to finally put his expertise to good use. 

“Would you?” Sophie sighed, nearly tearing up with gratitude. “You’re such a dear to help me in my moment of need, Kurt.” She stopped to kiss Craig on the cheek before gently taking Kurt’s arm and leading him away. “Come on, let’s head upstairs, there’s not a moment to lose.” 

As much as Kurt was looking forward to dressing Sophie up, he quickly looked over at Blaine to make sure he was fine with the arrangement. His friend instantly beamed back at him and mouthed ‘we’ll be fine, go.’ That was all the encouragement Kurt needed to follow Sophie up to her bedroom. “I’m right behind you!” 

Blaine smiled as he watched the pair disappear up the stairs; it was so like Kurt to help someone he barely knew.

“Thank goodness you brought Kurt along, Blaine. I’m hopeless when it comes to helping Sophie get ready! I can barely look after myself, as you can plainly see by the sorry state I’m in,” Craig declared. 

Chuckling, Blaine decided to assess the damage for himself. A quick glance was all he needed to see that Craig’s appearance wasn’t as bad as he had dramatically claimed. Sure his dress shirt wasn’t fully tucked in and his tie knot was slightly ascue but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t fix. 

“Here, let me adjust your tie for you,” Blaine said, setting to work. It took him a couple minutes to finally be happy with his handiwork. 

“Just so I know Blaine, I take it Kurt has no idea about your true identity?” 

Blaine nodded. “We’ve only known each other for a little over a week.”

“There’s no need to look so glum Blaine, it’s early days yet then.” 

The fact that Craig seemed to know better than to assume Kurt was his boyfriend made it easier for Blaine to open up to him. After all, Craig knew all about having feelings for someone and not telling them for a long time. If it hadn’t been for the Doctor showing up, it was hard to say if things between he and Sophie would have changed. Blaine liked to think they would have (they were so happy together and wonderful parents) but he couldn’t say for sure. 

“I know, and know Kurt’s trustworthy enough.” Or that’s what Blaine felt in his hearts at least anyway. He still knew better than to act on those tentative instincts, if only to keep Kurt safely ignorant. “But there’s so much he doesn’t know about me, so much baggage to get in the way. So it’s better for the both of us if we remain simply friends.” 

“If you say so.” Craig’s smile was on the more smirky side but he didn’t press the matter any further. “So tell me Blaine, what is with this new accent of yours? Is it something you’re trying out or do you have no control over it?” 

Bless Craig and his sensible mind. “It started over the summer and by the time we noticed it was too late. My dad hasn’t been able to explain it either, so I’ve learned to accept it at this point.” Blaine sighed. “It drops now and then, usually without warning.” Blaine wasn’t about to admit it kept happening the most when Kurt was around. 

“I don’t envy you one bit there, Blaine.” Craig slapped him on the shoulder. “But I guess it could be worse.” 

Blaine didn’t even want to consider the dire possibilities. With parents like his, there was no telling what kind of trouble could come his way. So he didn’t, Blaine chose to focus on the present and how fortunate his life was. They spent the next fifteen minutes seeing to Craig’s wardrobe and making him look his very best. No sooner than Blaine had given his nod of approval did Kurt descend back down the stairs with a smug expression on his face.

“How are things down here going?” Kurt asked on his return. 

“Mission accomplished, as you can undoubtedly see for yourself, Kurt.” Blaine answered, gesturing to Craig. 

Kurt scanned Craig over and smiled. “Very nice, you and Sophie will make quite the attractive pair tonight. Are you ready to see the fruits of her and I’s labour?” 

“Yes please, or the restaurant might give our table away if we don’t head out soon,” Craig said. 

“Your audience is ready for you, Miss Sophie!” Kurt called out in a musical voice. 

A very pretty looking Sophie gracefully walked down the stairs, taking extra care because of the high heels she was wearing. Her fuschia pink dress hugged her body perfectly at the waist and spilled out in flowing waves of taffeta and lace. The bolero jacket she wore over it was a slightly lighter pink that went well with her fair complexion. While her golden locks were swept up at the back and tied with a lovely purple orchid hair ornament.

“So, how do I look?” she asked once she’d made it over to them. 

One look at Craig’s wide eyes and gaping mouth told Blaine that he had been rendered speechless. 

“Like you’re the winning contestant for Miss London,” Blaine replied for him. “All you need is a tiara and you’d be set.” 

“I had considered having her wear one, but that felt a bit over the top,” Kurt said, grinning. 

Sophie smiled. “Not that I have any to choose from.”

“It’s too bad I’m so far away from home or I’d lend you one of mine. I have a whole case of them hiding under my bed.” 

Craig shook his head; his brain seemed to have recovered finally.“Sophie, you look beautiful.” He took her hands in his as he continued to gape at her. “I am the luckiest man in the world.” 

Blushing like a teenage girl on prom night, Sophie pecked her boyfriend on the lips. “Thank you love, and don’t you look handsome.” 

“Nicely done, Kurt,” Blaine whispered during the couple’s loving exchange. 

“Thanks. It’s nice to know I always have fashion to fall back on if the performing thing doesn’t work out.” 

Once Craig and Sophie had finished complementing one another they turned to the young men who had made it all possible. Sophie went so far as to hug both Kurt and Blaine as she thanked them from the bottom of her heart. Craig was equally grateful and Blaine had to practically shove him towards the door to get them to finally head off on their date. 

Blaine closed the door and turned back to smile at Kurt. “Well, I don’t know about you but I’ve worked up an appetite. How about we order some pizza while Alfie’s still asleep?” 

“I like the way your mind works, Blaine.”   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Alfie ended up sleeping for the next hour and a half, giving Kurt and Blaine plenty of time to eat their pizza while they watched television together on the couch. At the beginning, the boys had sat on opposite ends but as time passed they slowly inched closer together. Kurt hadn’t realized this until they were nearly touching shoulders. At least Blaine didn’t seem alarmed by their close proximity, nor did he make any attempts to put any distance between them. 

Kurt resisted the urge to snuggle up to him. “Isn’t this nice. If I knew babysitting would be so easy I would have been more willing to give it a try.” 

“Careful or you’ll jinx us,” Blaine warned. 

They paused to listen for any signs of Alfie waking but the baby monitor on the coffee table remained silent. Breathing with mock relief, Kurt reached forward to claim the last piece of pizza for himself. Blaine’s reaction to the act was saying ‘hey’ in the most over dramatic act Kurt had ever seen. 

“Sorry, it’s every man for himself when it comes to food I’m afraid,” Kurt said, chewing away. 

“Is that so?” Blaine asked. “Well then, I won’t feel bad about eating all of the cookies then.”

 

Kurt gasped at his blazen act of greediness, but it was no use, Blaine had already grabbed the three remaining cookies and shoved one into his mouth. “No fair! You didn’t need to take all of them!” 

“What are you going to do about it?” he teased, his voice slipping back to sounding British. The sudden realization made Blaine blush bright red, or it could have been because of how flirtatious he had sounded. It was properly both--not that it mattered. 

“There are crumbs on your face, Blaine,” Kurt said, but when Blaine kept missing the spot he leaned over enough to brush them off before he could stop himself. It was such a small act and yet when Kurt realized what he had just done he snapped his hand back as if he had committed a crime. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.” Blaine put the plate down on the coffee table. 

“Are you sure?” The atmosphere sure felt as if it was turning more awkward by the minute.

As if by magic, a soft cry came from the baby monitor, saving Kurt and Blaine from any further embarrassment. 

“I’ll go check on Alfie,” Blaine said as he rose from the couch. 

“I’ll tidy up things here.” The need for comfort food led to Kurt eating the cookie Blaine had abandoned as he cleaned up after their meal. _‘Saved by the baby.’_

Blaine reappeared a few minutes later and all it took was one glance at Alfie for Kurt’s heart to melt. “Oh, aren’t you the most adorable thing I have ever seen.” 

“Why thank you Kurt, I’m very flattered,” Blaine said in a flirty voice. 

“I meant Alfie, but you’re pretty cute too.” His playful comment was lessened by the fact that he had kept his eyes on Alfie the entire time. Kurt hadn’t paid much attention to Alfie when they’d run into Sophie and Craig at Covent Garden. The little guy seemed perfectly happy and at home in Blaine’s arms. Just when Kurt thought he couldn’t get any cuter he smiled right at Kurt and let out a sweet little giggle. “Look at those dimples, and your chubby little cheeks, you are too adorable for words.” 

“Alfie’s a pretty happy little guy, aren’t you, bud?” Blaine gently bounced Alfie around which made him giggle even louder. 

“I’m still glad you’re here, Blaine. I’ve never even held a baby before.” 

“Care to give it a go?” Blaine asked. 

“Oh, um. I wouldn’t even know how to--” Kurt’s excuses were no match for Blaine’s coaxing smile and before he knew it he was holding a child in his unsure arms. The fact that Alfie didn’t start to cry made it easier for Kurt to adjust to sensation. “Hi there Alfie, my name’s Kurt. I’m a friend of Blaine’s. Remember him?” Alfie made a cooing noise. “Yes that’s right, he’s right here next to us.” 

Blaine laughed as Alfie reached out to grab his finger. “Alfie wants me to tell you that he says hello and it’s nice to meet you too.”

“I had no idea you were fluent in baby, Blaine.” 

“It’s one of my many hidden talents. Alfie’s also wondering if there’s any pizza left for him.” 

Kurt laughed. “You’d better break the news that we’ve eaten it all and I doubt his parents would want us to feed him pizza even if we hadn’t.” 

“Sorry bud, there’s no pizza on the menu for you I’m afraid,” Blaine said with a sad frown. “But I bet we can find you something just as good if we head into the kitchen.” Alfie babbled back to him and Blaine listened and nodded as if he understood every word. “That’s a good idea Alfie, why don’t you and Kurt have a seat on the couch while I see to your supper.” 

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, Blaine,” Kurt admitted. There was no telling what could go wrong; he wasn’t even sure he was holding Alfie correctly. 

“Nonsense Kurt, you’ve got this, and I’ll be right in the kitchen _if_ you might need me.”

“What am I supposed to do in the meantime?” But Blaine was already gone off in search of a meal for Alfie, and Kurt was left with the daunting task of entertaining a toddler on his very on his own. Kurt carefully sat down on the couch and settled Alfie on his knee until they were both as comfortable as possible.

Should he bounce him? Hadn’t his dad said he used to do that to him when he was little? Kurt wasn’t too keen on the idea no matter how much he had supposedly loved it. What if he went too fast, or worse, what if Alfie lost his balance and fell onto the floor! 

He could see the headline now; ‘US College Student Living Abroad Seriously Injures Toddler In London Two minutes After Being In His Care.’ 

Possibly sensing his sitter’s growing unease, Alfie began to fuss and squirm in Kurt’s arms. Kurt made soothing sounds to try to calm him but nothing he tried seemed to be working. Alfie could burst out in tears at any second at this rate. There had to be something Kurt could do to keep him entertained. But what? Searching for answers, Kurt tried to remember any other stories from his childhood that his dad had shared with him. 

Kurt thought of one, and not a moment too soon; Alfie’s lip had begun to quiver. “How about I sing you a song? I know just the one too. It’s a timeless classic you’re sure to enjoy, Alfie.” 

Off in the kitchen, Blaine had found the dinner Sophie had left in the fridge and was warming it up when he heard strange sounds coming from the living room. 

_Oh yeah, I'll tell you something_  
I think you'll understand  
When I say that something  
I want to hold your hand 

Blaine stopped what he was doing and listened. It soon became clear that there was nothing strange about what he was hearing; Kurt was singing. 

_I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand_

Kurt’s voice was barely a whisper and yet it managed to touch Blaine to his very core, rendering him an dumbfounded. Gathering up his composure, Blaine resumed preparing Alfie’s meal and placed it on his high chair over by the dining room table. 

_Oh please say to me_  
You'll let me be your man  
And please say to me  
You'll let me hold your hand 

The Beatles was one of Blaine’s all time favourite bands and their song ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ was number two in his top ten list. Not wanting to interrupt the tender scene, Blaine silently crept towards the living room, stopping at the door frame to watch Kurt serenade Alfie who was sitting on his lap as transfixed as he was. 

Kurt finally noticed Blaine’s presence when the song was finished and he blushed. “I couldn’t think of anything else to do.” 

“No explanation is needed, Kurt.” Blaine clapped softly. “That was truly wonderful, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.” Alfie was looking dreamily up at Kurt with nearly as much adoration on his face as Blaine’s. 

“Hmm. Is Blaine telling the truth Alfie? Did you like my song or did you think it was a bit too much?” 

Blaine’s timelord genes meant that he actually understood Alfie's answer, which was too priceless not to share. “He says he loved it but he’d prefer it if we’d feed him before giving him an encore.”

“I think that’s more than a reasonable request, wouldn't you agree, Blaine?” 

Indeed it was and Blaine was only too happy to comply as he took Alfie from Kurt. They all headed to the kitchen next and considered song choices as Blaine fed Alfie his dinner. After much consideration, the song ‘All You Need Is Love’ was finally chosen. Blaine was surprised but delighted when Kurt suggested they should sing it as a duet. And that was how young Alfie ended up being the first person to hear Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel’s voices blend together in perfect harmony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Alfie's age in this story doesn't line up with the Doctor Who canon part (It did back in 2013) but this is an AU story so I figured it didn't matter all that much.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

It was business as usual for Kurt and Blaine once their babysitting job finished. The pair of friends spent much of the following week together and it was same for the following seven days as well. At school they were often seen in each other’s company, a fact that most of the student body was well aware of. The only one who hadn’t seemed to of notice were the men themselves. Off in their happy little bubble, Kurt and Blaine were, yet again, hanging out together and having a splendid time. 

Kurt had invited Blaine over to study in his dorm room; his friend was beside him with a keyboard across his lap. Vocal practice sure was a lot more fun with someone there to help him. Blaine’s current job was to hit the appropriate keys and wait for Kurt to achieve the right vocal note before moving onto the next. 

He might have been imagining it, but Kurt swore he managed to hit a high F slightly faster than usual. 

“Nicely done, Kurt,” Blaine said, patting him on the back. They were sitting so close together their knees were touching. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, your vocal range never seizes to amaze me.” 

“Thank you, Blaine.” Such flattering comments would have rendered Kurt into a blushing flustered mess a couple weeks ago, but he was well used to them by now. Blaine was a people pleasure that was for sure; he always knew exactly what to say to make Kurt feel special. 

Quinn pushed open the ajar door to his room all of a sudden.

“Oh, hi Quinn. Sorry were we being too loud for you?” Kurt asked. 

“Hey boys, no, I’m not here to complain about the noise. I need your help, Kurt. I finally said yes to going clubbing with Santana just to get her off my back. But now she’s threatening to dress me herself from her wardrobe if I don’t give it my best effort. I tried... but my hearts not really in it,” Quinn explained. 

Kurt winced. “Yikes, I shudder to think the number she’d put you in.” Santana’s style wasn’t the problem; she always looked good in whatever she wore, but her wardrobe wasn’t very suited for Quinn. “Say no more Quinn, I’m here for you.” 

“Thanks, we’re going out tonight so I’m kind of desperate,” Quinn said with a light smile. 

That only left the matter of Blaine, so Kurt asked, “Will you be okay on your own while I’m gone?”

“I’ll be fine.” Blaine put his keyboard on his lap and began to do a few warm up notes. “I’ve got all the entertainment I’ll need here at my fingertips.” He started playing an upbeat tune as he hummed along. 

Smiling with affection, Kurt patted Blaine’s knee as he slid off the bed and then followed after Quinn. His mind was already brimming with fashion possibilities as he stepped inside her room; he could think of a number of potential options from what he’d seen Quinn wear over the past three weeks. 

“The problem people often have with clubwear is thinking you have to go skimpy to fit in, but that’s not always the case.” Kurt didn’t need to have been in a club to verify this. “It’s all about exploiting your best traits and still keeping who you are.” Rubbing his hands together, Kurt went over to Quinn’s dresser. “Is there anything you had in mind for--” 

It was then that Kurt finally noticed that there was more than clothes on her bed; Santana was also there sitting with her legs crossed and acting as if her presence wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. 

“Santana, I’m surprised to see you here,” Kurt commented, trying his best to keep his voice civil. She was probably there to oversee the job and make sure Quinn was actually going through with their clubbing plans. Just as long as she kept her opinions to herself, or Kurt wasn’t against threatening to throw her out of the room. 

Quinn closed the door and leaned her back against it. 

“Felt like the best way to lure you away from Blaine without becoming suspicious,” Santana replied. 

Kurt’s good mood was gone in an instant. “This is some sort of intervention I take it?” 

“Finally ready to own up huh, Hummel?” Santana said, sizing Kurt up. “Good for you. I gotta admit I thought you’d keep clinging onto denial til the bitter end.” 

With his one exit being blocked by Quinn, Kurt had no way to escape whatever hell Santana was about to put him through. He could have forced his way out he supposed but that felt a little too dramatic for his liking. It wouldn’t stop Santana from resorting to much more dire measures as well, so he quickly decided it was better to let her get her way this once and stick around. 

Kurt crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll give you ten minutes before I start shouting for help.” 

“It’s like this Hummel; you and Anderson have spent the last two weeks so joined at the hip that it’s gone from semi annoying to downright co-dependant creepy. From what I’ve seen, you two have spent every waking hour together; you’re always with each other on campus, and it’s the same when class is over and you refuse to leave each other’s sides, even on the weekend. No one--not even loving couples who are actually dating--should live like that; it’s super unhealthy. This madness needs to stop. It’s time for you and Blaine to wake up and face the reality of your situation.” 

Someone less familiar with Santana might have mistaken her words for genuine concern, but Kurt knew better. This was yet another way for her to manipulate people’s emotions and keep herself from dealing with her own problems. 

“Are you done?” Kurt asked in a bored voice. 

“Not if that’s all you’ve got to say.” Santana pushed herself up from the bed and into Kurt’s business, invading his personal space before he could react. “We’ve barely begun so I’d take a seat if I were you, because this is way worse than I had first thought. You don’t even see it, do you, Hummel?” 

Holding his ground, Kurt kept his face as disinterested as possible. “All I’m seeing right now is some overbearing crazy lady who's up in my face.” 

“I know what you’re doing Hummel, even if you’re too bent on clinging to denial to admit it even to yourself.” She took a step back and sneered at him. “You say that you’re okay with only being friends with Blaine, but the truth is you’re secretly hoping that he’ll come around and admit he wants you after-all. Until that happens, you’re happy to stay close because it keeps the competition away but no one’s going to ask you out for a date either.” 

Kurt fought to keep himself from reacting to her accusations. There was no way he could win here. Santana had him good and trapped and she knew it too--the crafty bitch (yes he was _that_ annoyed with her meddling ways). If he were to deny her claims then she would no doubt lay down the law even harder. There was no telling what she would say or do to get her way. Things wouldn’t be much better if he were to admit she was right, not only would she probably gloat about it, but Kurt would have to admit what he’d known deep down all along. 

“To be honest, I’m surprised you had it in you, Hummel,” Santana added. 

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Kurt made a spur of the moment decision and said, “What surprises me is that you bothered to do anything about it. Why should you care about Blaine and me and how close we’ve become? I hardly doubt it’s because you’re generally concerned for our well being, so tell me, what’s your angle here, Santana? What do you get out of this intervention?” 

“I get to stop feeling the urge to vomit whenever I see you two together, that’s what,” Santana answered without batting an eye. 

Damn. Kurt had hoped he’d be able to trip her up by asking his own questions. He should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. This was Santana he was dealing with. Boy this sure sucked. 

“I honestly hadn’t considered any negative side effects to spending a lot of time with Blaine.” And that was the absolute truth, if there were any other reasons for it then they had been subconsciously done. “Am I hoping something between us can still happen? Yes I am. I’m not afraid to admit that I like Blaine, and just so you know, he admitted he’s attracted to me too for the record. But I’m not about to cut Blaine out of my life just because he doesn’t want to go on dates with me.” 

“Santana’s not saying you should stop seeing Blaine altogether.” Quinn looked over at her. “Right?” 

Santana snorted. “As if I’d be daft enough to think that could happen. You two just need some space before things get out of hand and you end up getting hurt.” 

“Blaine would never hurt me,” Kurt said in a cold voice. 

“Maybe not on purpose, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t end up with a broken heart still. If you’re truly bent on remaining Blaine’s friend then you need to take a step back and start acting like one,” Santana countered. 

“Maybe you’re right…” Kurt swore under his breath as soon as the words left his mouth. As much as it hurt to admit it, Kurt had been neglecting the other aspects of his life lately. He hadn’t hung out with Quinn recently, he only saw Brittany and Sam when they approached him and Blaine at school and worst of all, he’d barely gotten any reading done. Kurt wasn’t even finished the third book in the Lola Robinson mystery series yet. What had happened to him? 

“I tell you what Quinn, the next time we’re alone together--which hopefully will be the next day or so--I’m not going to mention Blaine the whole time.” 

Quinn’s face cracked into a small grin. “You’re that confident huh?” 

“You bet I am, and speaking of which, I’ll even go so far as to bet on it too. If I don’t mention Blaine while we’re out then you’ll pay for our dinner, and if I do slip up then it will be on me.” Kurt was about to suggest they should shake on it when he suddenly thought of something to add. “Blaine calling me up at any point tomorrow obviously doesn’t count though.” 

They shook on the matter and Quinn stepped aside from the door. 

“Hey what gives? Have I suddenly become invisible?” Santana demanded, waving her foot back and forth in an angry manner. 

Kurt looked her in the eye and smirked. “Oh, trust me Santana, you’re extremely visible, and while I’m not buying your ‘selfless friend act’ one bit, I’m in a generous enough mood to treat you to one cup of coffee this week sometime.” 

“Or you could always tag along with Quinn and me at the clubs tonight and buy me a shot instead?” Santana asked, wiggling her eyebrows to show which option she preferred.

“I think I’ll pass.” Kurt was surprised they were actually going out. “But you ladies have fun tonight.” He wasn’t about to join them even if they were willing to go to any gay bars for his sake. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t stick around to help you pick out an outfit; I’m sure Blaine’s wondering what’s been keeping me.”

Free at last, Kurt wasted no time in heading back to his dorm room and Blaine greeted him with a charming smile as soon as he stepped through the opened door. The sight of his friendly face put Kurt at instant ease, erasing all the negative energy his _intervention_ with Quinn and Santana had stirred up. 

“Welcome back, how did it go with getting Quinn ready? I thought I heard Santana’s voice trailing from the hallway,” Blaine asked. 

Kurt smiled. It would have been easy to keep what had really gone down from Blaine but he decided it was better to be honest with him. 

“She was there all right. She had Quinn lure me over to her room under false pretenses.” 

“Did they do it so they could talk to you about me?” Blaine put his keyboard down and gave Kurt his full attention. 

Kurt nodded. So Blaine wasn’t as blind as Santana had been insinuating then. “They pointed out how we’ve been spending a lot of time together lately.” 

“I guess we have…” A hint of pink crept up on Blaine’s face as he rubbed his neck; a tell tale sign that he was feeling nervous. “I wish I could say I’ve noticed before now but I hadn’t considered it.”

“Me either,” Kurt admitted as he sat beside Blaine on the bed. “I’ve never had a best friend to spend too much time with before…” He knew he was blushing now as well but he ignored it. “I guess I let it get to my head a little there.” 

Blaine smiled. “I’m as much to blame as you are, Kurt.” He stared down at his hands in his lap. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for us to make more time for our other friends. It’s been ages since I’ve hung out with Sam and Brittany; they’ll probably tease me ruthlessly, but it’s a small price to pay to get back in their good graces again. I’ll talk to them tonight about planning something for the three of us to do tomorrow.” 

“Ask them if they’d like to do something as a group too, okay? It’s been awhile since we’ve all gone somewhere together.” 

“Does this group include Santana?” Blaine asked with a smirk. 

Laughing first, Kurt replied, “Amazingly it does.” It was much easier for him to admit she wasn’t all bad when Santana wasn’t around to annoy him. 

With their potential conundrum more or less dealt with and resolved, Kurt wasn’t about to separate from Blaine just yet. They still had a lot of studying to do; he had only gotten halfway through his vocal warm ups and that still left Blaine’s turn to follow up with. Surely there was no harm in indulging themselves for a little longer now that they’d done the mature thing and talked it out. 

Blaine ended up staying for another two hours before he admitted he should get around to calling up Sam and Brittany like he’d planned. Kurt, who was dying to get back into his reading, offered to see him off and the pair had chatted with each other as if it were any other day. 

“Thanks for being honest with me Kurt; it means a lot to me,” Blaine said on his way out. 

“You’re welcome, Blaine. Have a good night. Oh and before I forget, I sort of made a bet with Quinn that I wouldn’t mention you at all when I’m with her tomorrow.” 

Blaine’s eyes widened at the news but his smile didn’t disappear. “Would it be weird if I were to wish you good luck with that?” 

The only response Kurt managed to give him was hysterical laughter.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Determined to make it up to them, Blaine had quickly tracked down Sam and Brittany the next day so he could apologize and make plans with them for the evening. 

But instead of agreeing, they had turned the offer down, leaving Blaine confused and concerned. This was worse than he originally thought; had he really ignored them that much over the last two weeks? It didn’t feel like it to him. 

Blaine wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. “Come on you two, I said I’m sorry about not spending any time with either of you lately.” 

“What about Kurt?” Sam asked. 

“What about him?” Blaine watched his friends stare at him and he sighed. “All right yes, I’ve been with Kurt a lot… but we talked about it and both agreed we should take a step back and pay attention to our other friends.” 

“Did something happen between you two?” asked Brittany with a playful smile. 

For once the fact that Brittany was teasing him was a good sign. “No,” Blaine answered honestly. “Nothing’s going on between us Britt, we’re friends, that’s all.” Friends who had finally realized they were getting too close. 

Sam laid a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “We’re not saying no because we’re mad at you Blaine, we can’t hang out with you tonight because we’ve got a big romantic date planned.” He leaned closer to his friend and whispered, “I’ve been saving up for months. I’m taking her to a fancy restaurant.” 

“Tonight’s the anniversary of our first kiss,” Brittany explained, beaming. 

The ground suddenly came out from under Blaine and he fought to keep his surprise underwraps. It might not be strange for an average person to forget such an event, but Blaine’s memory was above average. “It is? I had no idea. I’m so sorry, and I understand completely. We can make plans on another night, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” 

Blaine had never been so envious of Sam and Brittany’s relationship before. “Be sure to enjoy yourselves on your romantic evening together now.” 

“Thank you, Blainey,” Brittany replied, offering a quick hug. 

“Maybe you and Kurt can join us on a double date sometime?” Sam said with a smirk. 

Blaine rolled his eyes; he supposed he deserved it though. “Very funny. Kurt did comment on how he wanted all of us--which includes him, and Quinn and even Santana--to get together soon.” 

“What about tomorrow, we’re free then.” Sam turned to his girlfriend. “Right, babe?” 

“We are, unless we ended up getting arrested between now and then,” Brittany replied matter-of-factly. Her comment was met with affection and not the usual confusion others experienced, proving just how much Sam loved and understood his girlfriend. 

Waving them off, Blaine kept smiling until Brittany and Sam went out of view. While he was glad there were no hard feelings between them, he suddenly found himself alone and with nothing to do. Blaine headed off down the sidewalk as he considered his options; it shouldn’t be too hard to find something to amuse himself with. But what? Blaine didn’t feel in the mood to go shopping, and his homework for the week was more or less finished already too. His parents were back in the Tardis travelling around the galaxy so that ruled out paying them a visit. 

Left with no appealing alternative, Blaine decided to head for home for now and see what he could come up with once he got there. _‘I bet my dad never had any trouble finding something to amuse himself with.’_

Blaine arrived at his flat and smiled as soon as he opened the door; over the past two weeks Kurt had helped transform his flat into an eye pleasing (yet still functioning) living space. Every piece--from the lamps Kurt had suggested, to the royal blue curtains covering his windows--perfectly suited his tastes and personality. 

_‘Home sweet home.’_ He stepped into his bedroom and took off his cardigan and bow tie before lying down on his bed. 

It didn’t take very long for his sharp mind to come up with a solution to his growing boredom. It was practically staring him in the face. His dad’s video glossary! He was only a quarter of the way through them and the last one he’d watched had been days ago. Learning about his dad’s many companions over the years (centuries more like) had taken quite a while to finish. Blaine had needed a break after he had watched the video about his grandparents, Rory and Amy, and how the Doctor (and River) had lost them forever. 

“I wonder what the next subject will be,’ Blaine thought, as he retrieved the device and switched it on. 

The Doctor’s holographic image instantly appeared in front of Blaine, resuming the end of the last video from when he had stopped to answer Kurt’s phone call. 

“That concludes the section of the glossary summarizing the companions I have had the pleasure to travel with, or the significant ones in any case. There have been countless more of course, and each of them was just as important as the next, only it would take a long time to go through them all, so at this point we thought it would be best to cover the basics.” The Doctor paused to take a short breath. “As you already know, losing Amy and Rory was hard for me to cope with. Everyday I thank the maker that your mother said yes when I asked her to travel with me on that dark day.” The love he felt for his wife was as transparent as his digital image as he smiled to himself. “It amazes me to this day that she almost didn’t… I often wonder how different my life would have been if she had given me a different answer…” 

The Doctor’s smile grew until it span his entire face. “But that’s not what we’re both here for now are we, Blaine? No indeed. I’m here to help you understand where you came from and you’re here to listen and learn, so let’s move on to the next topic. I bet you’re dying to know what it is, well, the wait is over because…” His dad began to drum his hands on some unseen surface for dramatic effect. “Regeneration!” 

“Yes, finally!” Blaine cheered in delighted surprise. Regeneration and how it worked was something he’d been pestering his parents about for years. 

“At this point, I can only hope that River and I will keep to our plan of saving most of the facts concerning regeneration from you until this moment.”

They had, all Blaine basically knew was that Regeneration happened when a TimeLord was about to die and it saved their life by changing them somehow. Anything other than that had been kept tightly under wraps. 

As if he could read Blaine’s thoughts, the projection of the Doctor smiled. “I imagine you weren’t too happy with us hiding it from you, but you’ll understand our reasoning soon enough, son. The first thing you should know is that Regeneration does not mean that TimeLords are immortal; we can still die, same as everyone else. When a TimeLords faces death, they can change to keep living on but with a new body. We are essentially the same being on the inside but not entirely, it’s hard to explain exactly… We keep our memories from our past regenerations--though they can get a bit jumbled in some instances--but whole personalities change in addition to our outer appearance.” 

Blaine folded his legs up until his chin was resting on his knees as he listened to his father’s words. 

“The process of regeneration can understandably be quite a traumatic experience, not only for yourself but for anyone who knows you. What you need to remember is deep down you’re still going to be you Blaine, the same man you’ve always been, just with a new face and a brand new start on life.” 

“This is mad,” Blaine said, laughing in disbelief. All of these years he thought he’d been able to fool himself into thinking he was more human than alien.

A mere projection, the image of the Doctor continued on in spite of his son’s inner epiphany. “As I am recording this video, I am currently on my eleventh regeneration, and I hope that number hasn’t gone up by the time you’re watching it.”

“Eleven?” Blaine’s estimate of six or seven had been way off. 

The Doctor flashed a sheepish grin. “That may sound like a lot to you, and while it is, keep in mind that all but the first have happened over the last fifty years or so.” 

“Wow,” Blaine breathed, the sudden reminder of how dangerous a life his dad had lived catching him off guard. 

“As far as I can recall, the first time my regeneration was due to old age, and it is my dream that the same will prove true for you as well, Blaine. I know I can’t promise it will, but I will try my hardest to do everything in my power to give you the chance.” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and let out a therapeutic laugh. “I am going to explain what you will go through when you do experience your first regeneration just to be on the safe side, that way whenever the times come--hopefully hundreds, if not thousands, of years from now--you shall be fully prepared for it.” 

The fear the Doctor felt from even imagining that terrible day was painfully visible in his eyes; Blaine had never seen him look so vulnerable before. He was grateful that he was watching a video instead of the Doctor actually telling him in person. It was unlikely that the two of them could have gotten through it without breaking down. 

By the time the video was over, Blaine had managed not to cry, but he was still left feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Slowly walking to his kitchen, Blaine made himself a cup of tea as he waited for what he had just learned to fully sink in.   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sitting on a bench overlooking the River Thane, Kurt was in heaven. The view was stunning, it was a beautiful fall day and he looked utterly fabulous in his new (well new for him) wool jacket and favorite scarf. His current company was pretty great as well; seated beside him was Quinn, who was silently enjoying the lovely scenery before them. They had decided to stop for ice cream at a nearby shop after exploring around London together. 

She might not be the easiest person to read, but she was as endearing as she was witty. Little by little,Quinn seemed to be opening up to him and smiling more and more in the process.

“You know what Quinn, I might not want to sleep with them, but having you as a friend has showed me how nice it is to be around girls. I had no idea what I’d be been missing out on until you came along,” Kurt announced, smiling. 

“And I never thought I would be friends with a guy.” 

“Not even a gay one?”

“Especially a gay one,” Quinn replied. “There weren’t many out kids at my school and the few who were always steered clear of me. I can’t blame them. Most people in the popular crowd did nothing but harass them. I never stooped that low, but it didn’t matter because I was still one of _them_ , which meant I couldn’t be trusted.” 

Kurt wasn’t surprised to learn of her struggles; high school could be a rough time for anyone--no matter their social status. It made him want to try to comfort her somehow, but he had no idea how he could. Quinn had shared so little about her life before coming to London, whatever had happened must have been worse than Kurt had originally thought.

This called for a change in subject. 

“Do you ever find yourself hardly believing that you’re living in England now?” 

“All the time,” Quinn replied. “And then sometimes I wake up and think it was all a dream and I’m still stuck in Seattle.” 

Curiosity tugged at the back of Kurt’s mind but he kept the many questions forming at bay. “It’s the same for me.” Although not recently; he couldn’t recall the last time he’d woken up with such fears. “I mean, my life in Ohio wasn’t all bad; sure I had my share of hardship, but didn’t we all? I think the worst part for me was the fact that I was living a lie. I let my fear of being different keep me from coming out of the closet. The worst part was I was still bullied--often on a daily basis--in spite of my attempts to blend into the crowd.”

“What about your family, did they…” Quinn began to ask, stopping when she seemed to think she might have overstepped. 

“Did they know I was gay?” Kurt finished for her. “As far as I knew they had no idea. I was too afraid to think about coming out to them. My mom died when I was seven… after that it was just me and my dad. We were close but at the same time, were didn’t have much in common so as I got older it became harder to connect with him. It eventually got to the point where the guilt I felt from keeping so much from him started to drive a rift between us. My dad noticed, of course, and asked me if I was okay but I kept telling him I was fine.” 

How many times had Kurt pushed himself to come out to his dad and had ended up choking on his words? The rare moments he had spent working with his dad in the shop, or trying to find something they both enjoyed on TV, had been much needed escapes from him. One of his best memories had been when his dad had suggested they bring back Friday night dinners. Kurt hadn’t known at the time that his dad had planned to introduce the woman he had been dating on one of those Friday nights. It hadn’t mattered; Kurt soon came to adore Carole, and was overjoyed that his dad had found someone. He even managed to reach a mutual respect--and as time went on--a sense of kinship with her teenage son Finn (who went to a different school). 

“Looking back on it now, I often wondered how different my life would have been if I’d come out a lot sooner.” Kurt wished he could say things would have been better, but for all he knew, it could have made things far worse (at school anyway). 

“I’m sure you felt like there was no other option at the time,” Quinn said. 

Surprised by her kind comment, Kurt smiled. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

“I know what that’s like,” Quinn began in a soft voice. “I’m not saying I went through the exact same thing. I’m not gay, in spite of Santana’s attempts to get me into bed for what she said would be some overdue college experimenting.” Her surprisingly good impression of Santana brought a welcome break in tension. 

Quinn, her ice cream now finished, leaned her back against the bench they were sitting on and let out a long sigh. “I used to be an outsider too; I was the kid no one wanted to be around. But then that all changed for me; I joined ballet classes, ended up losing a bunch of weight, my acne went away after I started on Proactive… and I even convinced my dad into letting me get a nose job.” 

Kurt fought back a gasp and remained silent as Quinn shared her story with him. 

“By the time I was a high school sophomore I found myself finally living the dream;   
I was the clique head cheerleader who was dating the quarterback. Every girl wanted to be me, and wanted to be friends with me because I was popular. Or that’s what I thought at first, deep down I think I knew it was all a lie but I didn’t care. I was a status symbol and I had a reputation to keep up. I wasn’t about to mess things up by admitting almost all of it was fake.” 

Captivated by her story, Kurt patiently waited for her to continue. He could only imagine how hard it was to open up to him like this. 

“But then, I ended up making a big mistake… I slept with my boyfriend’s best friend, who I stupidly believed when he said he had the protection part _covered_. I tried to pretend it didn’t happen, but then I found out I was pregnant. As you can imagine it got to the point where I couldn’t hide my condition anymore and the word got out. Suddenly I was ‘the girl who got knocked up’ that everyone was talking about.” 

Kurt found himself nodding for some reason as if he understood her struggles. Luckily for him, Quinn either hadn’t noticed or didn’t feel the need to comment on it. 

“I told my parents and my dad didn’t react well; he basically kicked me out of the house. I decided to give the baby up for adoption… I knew I couldn’t give her a good life. I stayed with the father of the baby and his family at first, which wasn’t easy for either of us, but we did our best. In the end, I had a girl, who was adopted by a single mother who promised to love and protect her.” 

“You’re amazing, Quinn,” Kurt said before he was able to stop himself. 

Quinn turned to smile at him. “I still don’t how I got through it all. If my mom hadn’t thrown my dad out and welcomed be back home, I might not have. But because I had her love and support, I slowly began to turn my life back around. From that point on, I stopped caring what people thought of me. I focused on my studies and by the time I was in my senior year, I knew I was ready for change of scenery. I just had no idea I’d end up going as far as England in my attempts to have a new start, but then, I’m not about to complain considering where I am now.” 

Kurt patted her shoulder. “Well, I dunno about you but I’m done sitting. Come on, let’s take a nice long stroll while sunny days like this are still around.” 

“Sounds good to me.” Quinn stood up and looped her arm through Kurt’s. 

Out in the open air walking amongst lovely autumn-coloured foliage at the river’s edge, Kurt felt truly at peace. It was moments like this that made him so glad that he had finally dared to be different.   
______________________________________________________________________________

The next day Kurt found himself among friends once again, this time being with not only Blaine but Sam, Brittany, Quinn and even Santana. After class had finished for the day the group had headed off to London and after hanging about for a while, they had gone to a karaoke bar of all things. Kurt was totally fine with the location choice; he’d always wanted to go to one actually, but had lacked the friends to make it a possibility. But not anymore, now Kurt was standing beside Brittany singing ‘Spice Up Your Life’ by the Spice Girls with their friends cheering them on. 

Well Sam and Blaine were anyway, Quinn was her usual quiet but smiling self, while Santana watched the pair with a bored expression on her scolding face. 

Santana was the first to comment when the performance was over. “Not bad, but you could have gone with a better song.” 

Kurt frowned. “Don’t tell me you have something against the Spice Girls?” 

“They’re old news, Hummel,” she said, shrugging. “Try singing something from this century for your next song.” 

“I’m not buying it Santana, I bet you secretly like them. I swear I saw you mouthing the lyrics for a second there,” Blaine replied, his eyes full of mischief. “I myself have no trouble in admitting I’m a fan of theirs.” 

Eyes narrowing, Santana brought her face closer to Blaine so she could stare him down. “Is that so? Prove it to me then Hobbit, why don’t you sing us one of their songs for us? I know that’s a performance I’d love to see.” 

“Gladly,” Blaine said, accepting her challenge. “Any song requests?” 

Blaine was acting super sassy today. Kurt loved seeing him like this. His cute little smirk was to die for. It was hard to keep from affectionately gazing at him with fluttering eyes.

Brittany held up her hand. “Ooh, what about ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ That’s always been a favourite of mine.” 

Kurt agreed with her but he had something better in mind. “Could you sing us ‘Viva Forever’, Blaine?” The song’s melody was almost tailor made for Blaine’s dreamy voice, it would have been a crime for him to sing anything else. 

“I’d be happy to Kurt. As it happens, ‘Viva Forever’ is my favourite song of theirs.” Blaine got up from the bench and took the main stage, pausing to wink at Santana. “Try not to become too emotional now, Santana.” 

Selecting the song from the song list, Blaine got into position as the intro began and closed his eyes. Swaying to the beat, he opened them at in perfect timing as he began to sing the lyrics, killing it right from the start. Kurt felt his eyes well up with tears barely a quarter of the way into the number as Blaine blew away his expectations. Santana would have to have a heart of stone if she didn’t show any sort of reaction. 

Blaine’s soft vocals filled the room, captivating his audience and lulling them all into silence. Kurt watched Santana from the corner of his eye and saw her stubborn frown begin to wash away. It was subtle and barely noticeable, but the slightly more relaxed change in her expression and posture was enough to prove her humanity. 

When the long intermission came Blaine broke out on air guitar and his finger movements were so in time with the music it was as if he really were playing. Santana rolled her eyes at the sight but Kurt wasn’t buying her act for one second. She was as impressed as the rest of them and who could blame her. Blaine’s talent was impossible to ignore, and Kurt wasn’t even about to try. Brittany and Sam held up pretend lighters, swaying back and forth as if they were in front row seats at a sold out concert. 

At the end of the song, Santana hadn’t shed a single tear but the light smile on her face had sealed Blaine’s victory. 

Clapping, Sam gave Blaine a standing ovation. “That was bloody brilliant, Blaine!” 

“Try saying that five time fasts,” Brittany added with a proud chuckle from making a joke. “Sammy’s right, you were amazing! But then, you always are.” 

“It was a good cover worthy of posting on Youtube,” Quinn said. 

“Too bad none of us thought to film it.” Kurt commented, sighing in regret. “Feel like singing it again so we can?” 

Blaine laughed. “I doubt I could recreate magic like that for a second time. I’d much rather let someone else give it a go next.” He held the mic in front of Santana and waited to see if she would take the bait. 

“I’ll admit you weren’t half bad, Anderson,” Santana said, snatching the mic from him. “But I can still do it better.” 

To everyone’s amazement, Santana turned around and belted out an impressive rendition of ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ that Kurt thought would have made the Spice Girls proud. It was unlikely that they would ever see it, but she decided to let Kurt post the video he’d taken on Youtube just in case.   
___________________________________________________________________________

Blaine found himself alone with Sam back at his flat at the end of the night, which had been their plan from the start. No matter how close he and Kurt were becoming, Sam was still his best mate and it was time for them to remember the fact with some long overdue platonic male bonding. 

“So there’s a special event coming up soon,” Sam said as Blaine handed him a beer and joined him on the couch. 

“You mean your birthday?” As if Blaine could ever forget it. “I know it’s next weekend Sam, and before you ask, I’ve already bought you a present.” He had gone out gift shopping with Kurt four days ago in fact. “Any idea if there’s going to be a party on the day?” 

Sam smirked. “There’s no need to pretend Blaine, I already know that Britt’s throwing me a party on Saturday.”

“Who told you?” 

“Who do you think? I promised Britt I’d act surprised still though.” 

“Do you have any idea what sort of party she’s planning to throw you?” Brittany hadn’t given Blaine a single detail, which worried him. There was no telling what she had cooked up. 

He hadn’t forgot the last ‘surprise party’ Brittany had thrown. Not when the male stripper she had hired for the evening had given Blaine his very first lap dance. Blaine hadn’t been able to look anyone in the eye for the rest of the night after that. 

Shrugging, Sam said, “As far as I know she’s holding it at an flat somewhere, but I wouldn’t worry about it much, mate. I’m sure Brittany’s learned her lesson after what went down at your eighteenth birthday party. I still dunno why you threw away that stripper’s number.” 

“Don’t,” Blaine pleaded, groaning as he buried his head in his hands. 

“You’d better show up Blaine, if not for me then for Kurt, who would be sad if he didn’t see you there.” 

Blaine raised his head so he could glare at his friend. 

“I think Brittany was going to ask you to play some music at the party.” 

“Really?” He asked, perking up at the news. “I could do that.” It would give him a perfect excuse not to drink too much. 

Once Sam had told Blaine all he knew about his _surprise_ birthday party, they boys spent the night playing video games. Despite his best efforts, Sam ended up beating him in every level but he hardly minded. In the back of his mind Blaine was too busy brainstorming potential songs he could sing to really be bothered. 

He was going to be sure Sam’s birthday would be far better than his own, and hopefully one where hopefully nobody’s clothing came off!   
___________________________________________________________________

“Hi, Blaine,” a weak sounding Kurt said when Blaine answered the phone the following day. “Thanks for answering.” 

Concerned, Blaine asked, “Kurt, are you all right?” He swore he heard sniffling; was he crying? 

“No I’m not. I foolishly thought I could handle rewatching Downton Abbey on my own and not turn into an emotional wreck this time but boy was I wrong.” 

Relief mixed with amusement washed through Blaine in an instant. “You sure like that show, huh?” 

“Blaine… you have seen the show, right?” 

The moment Blaine had been dreading had finally come. “Um, to be honest... no I haven’t.” He had been meaning to, his parents had watched the entire series and kept raving about it, but Blaine had always been wary of period dramas. He wasn’t a big fan of watching shows that had multiple character deaths either--his hearts could only take so much pain. 

“Blaine, Downton Abbey marathon in my dorm room _now_ ,” Kurt ordered. 

“Isn’t it a little late for that?” As far as Blaine knew Downton Abbey had six series as well as a number of Christmas specials. 

“It’s only ten o'clock, we can get the first couple episodes in at least. But I do see your point, so it might be better if we go to your flat. Then we could watch the show on an actual TV instead of on my laptop. You have Netflix right? I did buy a UK subscription if not.” Kurt seemed to realize he’d gotten a bit ahead of himself in his excitement. “Unless you’d rather do it another night?” 

Blaine grinned to himself. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do tonight than watch Downton Abbey with you, Kurt. You’re more than welcome to come over here, but on one condition: you’ll let me come pick you up in my car.” 

“Oh, you don’t need to--”

“It’s no trouble, and it will take less time, and save you from having to ride a bus to get here.” 

They really needed to skype more often because Blaine wished he could see Kurt’s face as he decided whether to give in or not. 

“If you insist.” 

“I’ll head off now. See you in a few minutes.” 

Humming merrily to himself, Blaine headed for the front door, grabbing his jacket off the coat rack on his way out. He loved that Kurt was willing to go back and start at the beginning for his sake, even though he must have watched them recently. Blaine remember the times that he had come home to find his parents sobbing on the couch after watching the drama series. The fact that the Doctor, who was very picky about watching period shows, enjoyed it so much spoke volumes about it. 

What would his parents think when they found out he’d watched it without them? He hoped they would forgive him. 

Kurt was waiting for Blaine at the end of the curb when he arrived at Carlyle Lodge and he quickly pulled up beside him.

“You sure made good time, Blaine.” 

“I know all the good shortcuts.” Blaine watched as Kurt went over to the passenger side and piled inside. “Does Carlyle have any sort of curfew on weekdays that we should be aware of?” 

“Not that I know of. If there is one then it’s not very enforced, so we should be fine.” 

“Glad to hear it. Now let’s head on back to my flat so I can finally see what Downton Abbey is all about!”   
______________________________________________________________________________

Three consecutive episodes in a row later, Kurt could already tell that Blaine was hooked and would be as big of a fan as he was in no time. The conversion process was well underway; Blaine had reacted correctly at all the right spots. It had been hard for Kurt to pay attention to the show rather than Blaine as they watched the show together. Kurt was relieved that Blaine had been too focused on the TV screen to noticed his many glances. 

They had allowed a fifteen minute discussion period at the end of each episode, which hadn’t been enough to share everything, but the desire to see what happened next proved too great to allow any additional time. Not that they had much to spare in the first case, and yet Blaine was too drawn into the story to put an end to their marathon. So they kept going, sitting close together on the couch munching on popcorn as they watched the story unfold. 

“The popcorns finally done,” Kurt said as the third episode credits began to roll. 

Blaine looked at his watch and sighed. “So has the night; it’s past one in the morning.” 

“Time really does fly when you’re having fun then.” 

“And how. You were completely right by the way; Downton Abbey is as amazing as you said it would be. I would regret waiting this long to watch it but I’m glad my first time was with you, Kurt…” Blaine blushed as he realized what he had just said. _‘Real smooth of you, Blaine.’_

“It’s the characters and how they draw you into the story and make you have to know what happens next to them--even the horrible ones. It’s remarkable how your feelings for any of the characters can change in an instant,” Kurt explained. “And this is only the beginning, Blaine, I don’t want to spoil anything, but be prepared to go for a very emotional roller coaster ride with this show.” 

Blaine did a dramatic wince. “What series were you at when you called me tonight?” 

“I was at the end of series three… but it’s nothing compared to the Christmas special that follows it.” 

“Lord, what have you gotten me into, Kurt?” 

Kurt nudged Blaine’s side with his elbow. “At least you’re not watching as it’s airing. You can’t imagine how hard it was waiting months for the next installation; it was touch and go for me between series five and six.” 

“At least I’ll have a shoulder to cry on when I get to that point.” 

“It would be my honour.” 

Standing up from the couch, Blaine took the empty popcorn bowl from the table. He was about to suggest they start the fourth episode when he saw Kurt yawn. One in the morning wasn’t that late but they did need to go to class in roughly seven hours. In order to keep up the facade that he was a regular human who needed as much sleep as anyone his age, Blaine figured he shouldn’t push his luck. 

“We should probably call it a night.” 

Kurt nodded. “Probably a good idea since we’re into the morning hours.” He let out another loud yawn as he gave his tired muscles a good stretch. “Are you up for giving me a drive back home?”

“Of course I am,” Blaine replied. Should he start yawning too? Or would Kurt be worried he was too tired to take him home. There was another option--as long as Kurt was okay with it, but there was no way to find out without asking him. “Or you could always crash here.” 

“Sure.” Kurt’s smile along with his quick response was all the assurances Blaine needed. “I am kind of curious to see if this couch is as comfortable to sleep on as the sales agent claimed.” 

That was right, Kurt had been the one to show the hide-a-bed style sofa he had come across during one of their shopping endeavors last weekend. It hadn’t taken much for Blaine to agreed it was a great find that he’d be a fool to pass up on--so he hadn’t. 

“I feel like you know my flat better than I do now, Kurt.” Which only proved how good of a home decorator Kurt was. 

“It comes with the territory,” Kurt said with a playful smile. 

“I’ll get you a pillow and blankets.” Blaine went over his storage closet and pulled both items down. “Are you going to sleep in what you’re wearing?” 

Kurt nodded. “I dressed with comfort in mind for tonight.” That explained why he was wearing a pair of relaxed fit jeans and purple v-neck shirt then. “I should be fine for tomorrow as long as we stop by my dorm on the way to class.”

“I’ll take the car to make it easier for us.” Blaine was already a morning person, so getting up earlier didn’t bother him. 

Once Blaine found the bedding he had been searching for, he put them on the arm chair so he could set to folding out the hide-a-bed. Or at least that had been his intention, unfortunately his attempts proved futile and soon he was bent over as he fought to pull it free. 

“Having some trouble there, Blaine?” Kurt sounded quite amused by his friend’s sorry plight. 

“I’m trying to unfold this bed but apparently it has other ideas,” Blaine muttered as he tried a different angle. “Do you remember how it goes?” 

That was Kurt’s cue to act; gently moving Blaine out of the way, he managed to spring the bed free with little effort on his part. The smile on his face was more playful than smug as he happily accepted Blaine’s assistance to fully set it up. All it took were a few tweaks and Kurt’s resting spot for the night was all made up and ready for him. 

“There we are, a hide-a-bed fit for a king,” Blaine announced. 

“Lucky for me there is no King of England currently or else I’d be crunched up on your sofa chair.” 

“Oh it would never come to that, if push came to shove I would have insisted you take my bed.” 

Kurt smirked. “What makes you think I’d let that happen?” 

“Because you are my guest, ergo you are under my care.” 

“Is that so?” Kurt crossed his arms over his chest. “I’d like to see you try.” 

Hold on, what were they even doing? “Are we actually arguing about a hypothetical scenario instead of going to sleep like we’re supposed to?”

“Oh, my god we are, aren’t we?” Kurt shook his head. “Wow, I’m more sleep deprived than I realized.” 

That was the trouble when it came to banter with Kurt, there was no telling what silly things they could end up saying to one another. At least they’d managed to keep their flirtations at bay this time, but that could easily change, unless Blaine did the sensible thing. 

“We’d better go to bed before we make total fools of ourselves then,” suggested Blaine, who gave a big pretend yawn for good measures. 

Kurt nodded in agreement. “Night, Blaine.” Kurt yawned as he climbed into bed. “Thanks for letting me stay over.” 

It had taken him eighteen years, but Blaine Anderson was living on his own and finally having his first official sleepover with a boy. If he knew what was good for him, Blaine wouldn’t dwell on that thought, or else there was no telling when he would manage to fall asleep. 

“Think nothing of it,” Blaine said before closing his bedroom door.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Blissfully asleep and wrapped up in soft blankets on Blaine’s hide-a-bed, Kurt was completely oblivious to the world around him. The only thing that mattered was sleep--warm and wonderful sleep, which explained why he didn’t stir when the flat’s occupant stepped towards him. 

“Kurt, you need to wake up,” a gentle voice called to him. 

Something touched Kurt’s shoulder. Grumbling, he shoved at whomever was trying to pester him with his hand. “No, go away and let me sleep.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen.” The shaking finally stopped. “Perhaps this will change your mind.” 

The heavenly scent of freshly ground hazelnut coffee wafting towards Kurt’s nose put a jumpstart on his motor functions and his eyes finally opened. As the room around him came into focus, the first thing Kurt saw was Blaine’s smiling face. His cheerful friend was bent over the back of the couch with a cup of coffee in his hand. 

“Morning,” Kurt croaked as he forced himself into a sitting position. Blaine handed over his kind offering of coffee before Kurt could thank him and he took a ginger sip. The temperature was perfect; not too scalding, but still hot enough to warn his body from head to toes. 

“Good morning to you too Kurt, I hope you slept well.” Blaine’s eyes were alert and full of mischief.

Kurt felt tired just looking at him so he drank more of his coffee. “How many cups of these have you had to be so chipper, Blaine?” 

“Just the one I swear, anymore and I’d be bouncing off the walls, and I doubt you’d appreciate that.” On the move again, Blaine dashed into the kitchen and returned back a few moments later holding two plates. 

The smell alone was good enough to get up off of the couch. Shaking his head in bemusement, Kurt wasn’t sure what he was more surprised about: the fact that Blaine had gone to the trouble of making them breakfast or that he had slept through the whole thing. 

Kurt took one look at the beautifully set kitchen table and asked, “What’s all this?”

“I woke up before my alarm and couldn’t get back to sleep so I thought I’d be useful and make us breakfast. It didn’t take me very long since I had leftover batter in the fridge.” Blaine went over to his small dining area and placed their plates on the table. “They’re lemon blueberry, which is a speciality of mine.”

It had been a long time since Kurt had been treated to a delicious home cooked meal. At first, Kurt had been the one who made the meals for him and his dad. Once Burt had married Carole, his culinary duties greatly lessened even if he fixed and odd dinner now and then. The fanciest thing he’d made for himself since moving to Cambridge had been soup and toast. 

“I had no idea you were such a morning person, Blaine.” Kurt’s comment wasn’t entirely true. There _had_ been a few noticeable signs; he was always the first one to send text messages in the mornings, and he tended to use lots of words.

“It’s the way I was raised. My parents have always been early risers,” Blaine explained as he poured syrup onto his pancakes. 

Unable to resist the delectable fluffy goodness on his plate for any longer, Kurt cut a piece with his knife and popped it into his mouth. Flavour exploded on his tongue. Blaine’s pancakes were the best thing he had eaten in his life! Okay maybe he was being a bit dramatic, but they were absolutely delicious. The sweetness of the blueberries mixed with the tartness of the lemons created the perfect combination. Best of all, the pancakes didn’t get too soggy when he poured a generous amount of syrup on them. 

Kurt made short work of his breakfast and washed it down with the rest of his coffee. “That was delicious Blaine, we must do this again sometime.” 

“Oh, trust me, this is only the beginning. I foresee many more Downton Abbey marathons in the future for us, Kurt.” 

With their morning meal finished, Blaine was the first to rise from the table, quickly followed by Kurt, who took their plates right out his hands. When all Blaine did in response was chuckle and go for the silverware, the two boys headed over to the kitchen to wash their dishes together. Or rather, Blaine washed (at his insistence), Kurt was allowed to dry, and they both put everything away together. 

“How are we doing for time?” Kurt asked. 

“We have roughly an hour before we need to be at school for our first class.” 

That was more than enough time thanks to the fact that Carlyle Lodge was so close to Blaine’s apartment. 

“You’re welcome to shower here if you like Kurt; I already had mine before I made breakfast,” Blaine said. 

“I could, and it would probably save us some time, except my hair and facial products are back at my dorm so maybe I should wait until I’m there.” 

Blaine smirked. “I may not be running a five-star hotel but I’m sure what I have should do well enough, even for your high standards.” 

“Don’t be too sure about that.” There was nothing like flirting with Blaine to start the morning, oh how Kurt wished this could become a daily ritual of theirs. “Do you even own any hairspray?” 

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Blaine demanded, placing his hands on his hips. 

For a split second Kurt feared he had crossed a line, but then Blaine’s face cracked into a smile and all his silly worries melted away. 

“It’s pretty clear that you prefer using hair gel, Blaine.” 

Blaine actually snorted at him. “With good reason! I inherited my mum’s insane curls and my dad’s hair is nearly just as wild. My hair is super fine and the humidity from all the rain we get causes havoc on it. If I don’t weigh it down with hair gel, it becomes a bloody nightmare to contain.” 

Blaine shuddered as he wrapped his arms tight around his chest. Kurt realized that the subject must be a real sort spot for Blaine, unless he was kidding around. But Kurt doubted that his stiff guarded posture and sad puppy dog eyes were an act. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything…” Time for some much needed damage control. Luckily for them, Kurt had no trouble showering Blaine with compliments. “I happen to like how you style your hair. It goes very well with the whole handsomely dapper image you have going on.” Was he overdoing it? Probably. “I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think. In fact, I bet you’d look just as good if you used a little less gel and let your natural curls spring free a bit.” 

“Don’t be so sure about that,” argued Blaine. 

“Have you put any product in it yet?” 

Blaine ran his hands through his damp locks. “I was just about to… why are you asking?” 

“How would you feel if I styled your hair for you today, Blaine?” 

A wave of emotion washed over Blaine’s face, anxiety being the easiest one to pick out, as he shuffled backwards until his back touched the wall. 

“Oh, I’m not too sure about that,” Blaine sputtered off.

His reaction--while adorable beyond words--surprised Kurt. Why in the world was Blaine so convinced his hair was such a disaster? Kurt had never seen his friend act so insecure about his appearance before. 

“It’s not that I don’t trust your ability, your hair always looks incredible… it’s just, you have no idea how unruly mine can be…” 

Kurt wanted to hug him. “I think I can handle it. I won’t force you, but I’m confident that I’m up to the challenge, Blaine.” Almost there; the hesitation in Blaine’s eyes was dissipating. All he needed to do was give one final tiny push. “You can always redo it yourself if you don’t like how it turns out. I promise I won’t be offended if that’s the case.” 

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt for you to try…” 

Success. With the offer finally accepted, Kurt followed Blaine into the bathroom so they could get to work. Blaine’s hair was still damp enough to apply the gel but dry enough that a blow dryer (not that he would dare use one for curly hair) wasn’t needed. Kurt quickly located the container of hair gel, admiring its high calibre as he put a dime sized dollop on his right palm. Rubbing his hands together, Kurt skillfully ran his fingers through Blaine’s fine hair, ignoring his friend’s flushed faced as he teased his curly locks into submission. 

The end effect left Blaine’s hair properly tamed, but free enough to let some of the wave out. Please by his handiwork, Kurt stepped aside to let Blaine assess his job in the mirror. They were making good time; Kurt would be able to shower back at Carlyle without having to rush. 

“Kurt, you’ve really outdone yourself, my hair looks amazing!” Blaine said, beaming as he admired his reflection. 

“Thank your striking good looks for that; it’s not like I did much. Though I must say, I’m quite pleased with the end results.” Kurt tidied up the sink and put Blaine’s hair products away. “It was pretty easy so I’m sure you can recreated it as well when the inspiration strikes you. I still like how you usually style your hair though.” 

“I’m all for embracing change.” Blaine patted Kurt’s back in thanks as they headed out of the bathroom. “I take it you’re going to shower back at the Lodge then?” 

Kurt nodded. “Not that you don’t have an impressive collection of hair and facial products.” It had taken every ounce in control in him from borrowing any of them as payment for his hairstylist fee. 

“I’m flattered you think so.” In his adorable embarrassment, Blaine’s hand gravitated towards the top of his head.

Reaching out, Kurt took hold of his hand to stop him. “Careful, you wouldn’t want to ruin my hard work now would you, Blaine?” 

“Heaven forbid,” Blaine said, rubbing the back of his neck instead as he continued to blush. 

The lovely red hue of Blaine’s cheeks deepened as he and Kurt headed off to his car, flirting all of the way. Kurt knew he was going a bit far with his playful reply comments, but he didn’t care; no one was around so he couldn’t see the harm. Blaine certainly wasn’t showing any signs of concern, if anything he was more into it out of the two of them. Every response he made edged Kurt on in the best possible way. 

By the time they made it to Carlyle Lodge Blaine and Kurt were fully engrossed in their discussion about which male celebrities had the best hair. 

“Here, study this while I have a quick shower,” Kurt said, handing Blaine his laptop once they were safely in his dorm room. 

“And what am I supposed to be studying exactly?” Blaine asked with a smirk. 

Kurt leaned over and tapped on the mouse pad to bring up the correct bookmark. “CQ’s Best Celebrity Haircuts of the Year (So Far). “Speaking from experience, it’s a pretty fascinating read and a very knowledgeable one too.” 

“Is this some sort of a hint?” Blaine’s eyes were focused on the screen and not Kurt’s grinning face. He tapped the mouse pad a couple times and carefully studied each celebrity as they popped up. 

As much as Kurt wanted to play along with his game, he really needed to start getting ready for class. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kurt called as he disappeared into the bathroom to finally take a shower. 

Their next Downton Abbey marathon needed to happen on a weekend, but not this upcoming Saturday since that was the day of Sam’s birthday party. Oh well, he was sure Blaine wouldn’t mind waiting a bit if it meant they would be free to watch to their heart's content next time. 

And there was no rule that they couldn’t watch a few episodes in the meantime. Either way, Kurt could hardly wait!   
______________________________________________________________________________

The first inkling that something was up was how everyone was whispering to themselves when Blaine arrived at CSVPA, along with Kurt. Blaine hadn’t been too alarmed about it at first; gossip was a normal day-to-day occurrence at schools after-all. What put him on edge was how a number of students stopped to stare at them as they walked down the hallway together. 

Blaine sighed; he should have known better than to think they could escape the rumour mill for once. Someone at Carlyle Lodge must have noticed Kurt coming back in the same clothes he had been wearing the night before with Blaine in tow. People really ought to mind their own business a bit more, or at least check the fact before spreading any _news_ around. 

_‘I bet it was Santana,’_ Blaine thought, ignoring the attention he was getting. He hadn’t seen any signs of her at the Lodge, but then, he had been rather preoccupied with Kurt and their riveting conversation at the time. 

Whomever it had been, Blaine was determined not to let it get to him, so he’d focused on his studies and chatted with Kurt as if nothing was going on. His attempts were going pretty well so far, right up until his class (the one he and Kurt didn’t share) before lunch. 

Without Kurt there to help distract him, Blaine soon became painfully aware of all the extra attention he was getting. The things his sharp hearing heard went from slightly far fetched to downright obscene. According to their so called sources, Kurt and Blaine had spent a whirlwind night together, returning in the wee hours of the morning dishevelled and barely able to keep their hands off of each other as they rushed up to his room. One truly outrageous version of the story claimed a threesome with some unknown guy had taken place at some point during the night. 

Blaine’s usually tight hold on his temper was close to breaking when the class finally ended. Stomping along, he headed to the cafeteria with his eyes on the ground to save himself from having to see anyone else snicker at him. 

This was the worst...

_‘No, you’re better than this, you’re Blaine Anderson, son of the Doctor and River Song.’_ Neither of his parents would have let silly rumours like this get the better of them. Let ‘em talk. He knew what had really happened, and so did Kurt; that left sharing the info with his actual friends, and speak of the devils... 

Looking up, Blaine caught sight of Quinn, Sam and Brittany. Their warm smiles (well Sam’s and Brittany’s were in any case) instantly lifted his already rising spirits. Blaine strolled over towards them with his head held high. 

“Hey there, what’s up?” If only Kurt were there to see him take the moral high road. 

Brittany rushed towards him. “Blaine! Your hair, how come it’s not slicked down? Did someone finally file a complaint about the classrooms smelling like raspberry? I bet it was Tracy, don’t worry Blainey, I’ll take care of her for you.” 

“What are you going on about?” Blaine said, moving out of reach before Brittany could mess up his new look. “Kurt styled it this morning for me.” 

Biting his lip, Sam seemed to be having trouble containing his surprise. “You don’t say, well he sure did a good job, you look great.” 

“Thanks. Kurt and I had a Downton Abbey marathon last night and he ended up crashing on my couch.” 

“I knew those rumours couldn’t be true. I told people there’s no way you’d be up for a threesome, but no one would listen to me. I didn’t even get to explain that you’re way too inexperienced with sex to throw a third person into the mix,” Brittany muttered, shaking her head at the very idea. 

Thank goodness Blaine hadn’t been there to see her attempt to defend his honour. He wouldn’t have survived the embarrassment. 

“Thanks for believing in me, Britt.” Blaine hugged her back. “I’m annoyed about the rumours, but there’s not much I can do about them.” He shrugged. “I didn’t see the point in trying to set the record straight; it would probably backfire on me.” It was best not to give any sort of attention and let the rumours burn out on their own. 

Quinn nodded in agreement. “If high school’s taught me anything is that people rarely care about the truth.” 

“Let us know if you change your mind; we’ve got your back, mate,” Sam said, adding in his own support. 

As the group made their way to the cafeteria entrance, Blaine caught sight of Kurt and waved at him. “That’s my cue; Kurt figured it would be better if we got our food to go and ate somewhere less crowded.” 

Quinn, Brittany and Sam watched Blaine as he sprinted over to where Kurt was patiently waiting for him. 

“They’re so clueless,” Quinn said, watching their grinning faces as they headed off. 

“I think it’s sweet, like a gay fairytale,” Brittany announced. 

“Don’t sweat it ladies, I have a master plan ready to launch that will finally make those two come to their senses.” Sam leaned closer to Quinn and Brittany and whispered, “Pun intended.” 

Brittany choked back a laugh and Quinn rolled her eyes. 

“Good luck with that. In the meantime, I’m going to have a chat with Blaine,” Quinn said, narrowing her eyes at the man in question when he stepped out of the cafeteria with a giggling Kurt at his side. “Before it’s too late.”   
_____________________________________________________________________________

The rumours about Blaine and Kurt’s torrid affair (if it could even be called one, which it couldn’t) had gone full circle and was old news by the last class of the day. Blaine was in a much better mood when he and Kurt headed off campus and towards the student parking lot. 

“I hope you’re up with watching more of Downton Abbey today. I’m dying to know what happens next.” 

“I’d love to, but let’s save the all-night marathons for the weekend okay?” 

So Kurt had heard the rumours then, it figured. What he didn’t understand was why he was letting them dictate his actions. Unless he had another reason; they had spent a lot of time together recently. 

Blaine raised a curious eyebrow. “Was the hide-a-bed not as comfortable as the sales associate claimed then?” 

“No it was super comfy, but I do usually prefer to get a bit more sleep on the weekdays…” He paused for a moment, smirked, and asked, “Did you think I didn’t want to stay over because it would make people talk even more?” 

“I hoped it wasn’t because of that, and I’m glad it’s not,” Blaine admitted, resuming their walk to his car. “And I’m glad you’re not letting the rumours get to you.” 

Kurt rolled his eyes. “They annoyed me at first, but they’re nothing compared to the kind of stuff I heard back home.” He saw the concern in Blaine’s eyes and smiled. “The really nasty stuff wasn’t about me, luckily. Guess I was too boring for anyone to believe something scandalous could have happened to me.” 

The same could be said for Blaine, although he got the feeling Kurt’s experiences in high school had been much more difficult. 

“So Downton Abbey mini marathon until a reasonable hour then? We could watch it in your dorm room this time--perhaps with the door open to prove we have nothing to hide.” 

Kurt pursed his lips together absentmindedly. A little voice in the back of his head warned that spending another night with Blaine--when they were already trying to put a bit of space between them--might not be the best idea. But not even the threat of sparking another rumour whirlwind about them could make him listen to reason. Kurt had spent so much of his life without friends, so there was no way he was going to do what some people might think was the ‘sensible’ thing. People could gossip about them all they wanted; Kurt couldn’t care less. As his father always said, no one pushes the Hummels around. 

“Throw in going out for a late night food run at some point and you have yourself an evening.” 

Grinning, Blaine strolled over to the driver’s side. “I like the way your mind works, Kurt.” 

Any lingering warning signals in Kurt’s stubborn mind were left on the pavement as he piled into Blaine’s car. He was not going to overthink this--or have any regrets. Those same signals--along with any silly worries--were left in the dust as Blaine pulled the vehicle out of the parking stall and drove away.   
______________________________________________________________________________

The need for sustenance had made Blaine and Kurt venture outside in search of a nearby restaurant, but when nothing good was within walking distance, the two friends had taken to Blaine’s car to continue their culinary quest. Once they were out in the heart of the city it became very easy to locate food and the difficult task became choosing which one to go with. 

Blaine did his best to let Kurt make the final decision by giving a few suggestions for him to choose from. It had taken Kurt all of two seconds to realize what he was up to and to have him pick something for them (since Blaine would surely know better). 

After considering their options, Blaine had gone with an old favourite of his: Cotto Restaurant. With its three-course fixed-price european menu, and its reputation of being one of the best places to eat in Cambridge, he knew Kurt would approve. It also helped that the establishment’s owner was an old friend of his dad’s, so getting in hadn’t been a problem.

Three courses and a delicious dessert afterwards, Blaine was satisfyingly stuffed and feeling a little lazy, but in the good sated sort of way. If only being the son of a TimeLord meant he had a high metabolism; or maybe it did. The Doctor never seemed to gain any weight no matter how much food he devoured, nor did River, though now that he thought about it, they both were always mindful to remain fit. His dad jogged regularly and his mum often joined her husband in the morning, so maybe it was time for Blaine to consider doing the same. 

After dinner, he and Kurt were ready to go back and watch another episode before Blaine had to head home for the night. Lost in his own thoughts, Blaine glanced at Kurt, who didn’t seem to mind his silence, and smiled contentedly to himself. As much as he loved to talk, he also enjoyed quite moments spent among friends where he could simply enjoy their soothing company. 

He was so used to Kurt’s presence that he didn’t react when Kurt slipped his arm in the crook of Blaine’s elbow as they walked together. The slight contact felt so natural to him that he simply went with the flow and strolled arm in arm with Kurt as they headed back to his car. 

Seconds later, Blaine, who was about to open the passenger side door, glanced down to see Kurt’s hands still gently entwined around his right arm. Now finally the slight show of PDA registered in his mind and the significance of what it could mean flooded his unprepared brain. 

“Um, when did this happen?” Blaine asked in a puzzled tone, the realization still not fully hitting him yet. 

Kurt’s reaction clicked together at a much faster rate; gasping, he let go of Blaine as if his hand had been burned. “I--I don’t know! I swear it wasn’t on purpose.” Obviously embarrassed by his actions, Kurt took a step back. “I wasn’t thinking… my arms just moved on their own and--” He buried his head in his hands, no doubt to hide how much he was blushing. “Oh, my god, what in the world is wrong with me?” 

“Kurt, it’s okay--” Blaine replied, speaking softly, but his attempts to calm his friend proved ineffective when Kurt dashed into the passenger seat and closed the door behind him. “Kurt, there no need to be so embarrassed…” 

Or was there? If the same thing had happened to Blaine and he was the one to initiate physical contact without realizing, then he would probably he the one hiding in his car right now. 

“Kurt,” Blaine began, making his way over to the driver side so he could go inside and sit beside him. “It’s not _that_ bad. All you did was hold onto my arm, and you weren’t the only one who didn’t react to it either. I was the one who kept on walking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.” 

It would have been so easy for him to diminish the significance of such a seemingly tiny gesture; Blaine loved sharing casual contact with his close friends and family. He held hands with Brittany all the time and he often put his arm around Sam’s shoulder when they walked together. Except this was different; this time the physical contact had been with someone who he had a strong physical attraction to and not in a strictly platonic sense (not even close!). 

“I don’t like doing things without knowing I’m doing them…” 

The fear in Kurt’s voice and in his sunken body language made Blaine’s hearts ache. “It’s okay, it’s not like you--” Blaine stopped himself before he could say ‘it’s not like you kissed me’ and sighed. 

“I’m acting silly I know, but after hearing all the stupid rumours about us today, I can’t help but worry what I could do next… and what will happen to us if I…” 

Blaine reached out and took Kurt’s hand in his, smiling as he ran his thumb back and forth along the back of his knuckle. “Hey, it’s going to be okay, Kurt. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Kurt’s skin felt soft to the touch. “I’m not going anywhere, I’m right here beside you still, and I’m not going to let you beat yourself up about it.”

“I know we said we would be honest with each other and talk about things whenever stuff got weird…” Kurt hesitated, shyly looking away from Blaine’s smiling face to glance at their hands. “But could we possibly just this once let things go? Unless you’d rather we--” 

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Blaine said immediately, giving Kurt’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Are you still up for watching one more episodes like we planned, or should we call it a night?” He didn’t like the idea of leaving Kurt alone to feel badly about himself, but he wasn’t about to overstep his boundaries and possibly make his friend feel worse by sticking around. 

“I think watching Downton Abbey with you is exactly what I needed to keep my mind off of things, Blaine.” 

Blaine let go of Kurt’s hand and took hold of the wheel. “Good, because to be honest…” He couldn’t help but pause for a moment when he saw Kurt smile weakly in response. “I’m dying to find out what happens with Anna and Mr. Bates after that horse kicked the door down at the end of episode six!” 

“Let’s not forget that Mary hasn’t given her answer to Matthew's proposal yet,” Kurt added with a playful smirk. 

“Don’t remind me, I barely got through dinner without thinking about that.” Blaine was more than happy to put the awkward moment behind them and talk about the episodes they had watched before taking a much needed meal break.

As the end of their short drive back to Carlyle Lodge, Kurt seemed back to his old self and perfectly willing to indulge in a little flirtatious banter with Blaine. Just to be safe, Blaine made sure his reply comments didn’t get too out of hand though. 

“Here we are, back at the lodge,” Blaine said as he parked his car. 

“Did you know that part of the reason I applied to Carlyle is because it reminds me of Downton Abbey a little?” admitted Kurt, who blushed a little. “I know it’s not from the right time period, but I loved the lived-in look of it.” 

Blaine smiled. “It has a history to it.” 

“Exactly. Before I moved here, I used to dream about visiting all of the filming locations used on Downton Abbey.” 

“Well you’re here now, so who says you can’t?” Blaine joined Kurt on the sidewalk after locking his car. 

Sighing, Kurt said, “I tried, but the tours are either booked solid or no longer available since the show is finished now. Even if they were available, it’s not as if I could justify the cost--or afford it at all--and it wouldn’t be like I could go wherever I wanted either.” 

“I suppose you’re right about that…” Wheels were already turning in Blaine’s mind, but it was too early to share them yet. Keeping silent on the matter, he followed Kurt towards the lodge and up the stairs to resume their Downton Abbey marathon. 

There was no saying for sure that Blaine would be able to pull it off; his father wasn’t all powerful after-all, but he might have the resources he needed to make it a possibility. But for now, Blaine wouldn’t allow himself to put too high of an expectation on it happening. It was better to tuck the idea way for the time being and wait until he had a chance to talk to his dad. 

Blaine turned his attention to the episode they were about to watch. The next forty-five minutes were spent going through a real emotional roller coaster. It was exactly the sort of escape from reality he (and Kurt) had needed. What a show! Blaine was utterly shocked and completely fine with the fact. 

Thank goodness Kurt had plenty of tissues on hand, because he and Blaine were both rendered to tears by the end of the episode. This time neither teen cared if they had clung together without thinking as the credits rolled; they were too busy quietly sobbing to care.   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Blaine called his dad once he’d left Kurt’s place and he met with him and River the following afternoon. He’d left the matter of where they should go to his parents, who had whisked their son into the Tardis for some long overdue (their words) family bonding. The next thing Blaine knew, he found himself sitting atop a building in none other than Paris France--aka the city of romance--that had the most beautiful view imaginable. 

Blowing on his cup of coffee in attempts to cool it a bit, Blaine let out of a content sigh. He’d forgotten how much he missed travelling around the world with his parents. 

“I keep telling you, you’ve got it wrong, we didn’t come here then, it was months after _that happened_ ,” the Doctor commented as he returned with their freshly made drinks in hand. 

On the other hand, there were some aspects he didn’t miss so much. Blaine knew better than to ask what they were arguing about and silently sipped at his drink. 

“And I keep telling _you_ , sweetie, that you’re mixing the dates up yet _again_ ,” replied River in her own playful way, complete with knowing grin. “I’d be happy to cross reference our journals to know for sure.” 

Rolling his eyes, Blaine turned his attention to the sights around him; the iconic Eiffel Tower was far off in the distance. His parents had chosen a quaint little rooftop bistro (who knew such things even existed) far away from the usual tourist locations, which explained why the Doctor hadn’t bothered to switch his perception filter on. There was no need for disguises since the Anderson family wasn’t well known enough for anyone to take notice. But their increasingly loud disagreement could, so Blaine finally decided to step in before that could happen. 

“Why don’t you two give it a rest and have a seat, or have you forgotten the whole reason we’re here?” Blaine certainly hadn’t; he was still trying to come up with a way to make his request without getting relentlessly teased in the process. 

The Doctor was the first to comply; he probably found the change of subject quite welcome. “You’re quite right son, you’ll have to forgive us; old habits and all.” 

“I’m happy you wanted to see us so _suddenly_ , honey. Such a nice surprise.” River added, grinning as she claimed the remaining seat at the table. “But it makes me wonder why that is…” 

Blaine, who was ready for such a reaction, calmly smiled back at her. “Do I need a reason?” 

“How’s school been?” The Doctor asked, saving the day. 

“It’s going really well. I’m learning a lot, but my course load isn’t so heavy that I can’t keep up. My vocal range and singing ability have already begun to show signs of improvement. Of course I still have a long way to go, but I feel like I’ll be able to put what I’m learning to good use one day. Until then, there will be plenty of opportunities to practice, in fact, I’ve been asked to sing for Sam’s birthday party this Saturday,” Blaine explained. 

River took one look at her husband’s beaming face and said, “Don’t get any ideas; you’re not invited.” 

“I wasn’t thinking of crashing it in spite of your assumptions,” the Doctor said. 

“Don’t take it personally; you know how much Sam likes you dad, but no one’s parents are invited.” He could only imagine what would happen if his dad tagged along; he’d probably pull focus and be the life of the party as he did most places. 

“He and Brittany are still dating I take it?” the Doctor asked. When Blaine nodded in confirmation he glanced at River. “And you meanwhile are…” 

Blaine blinked in surprise; this had to be her doing. “Single as always.”

“Are you sure? Sometimes it’s not easy to tell. I didn’t realize that your mother and I were in a relationship at first.” 

Blaine reminded himself that his parents were allowed to be curious about his lovelife (or lack thereof)--even if he found it slightly annoying. “Unlike you and mum, Kurt and I aren’t meeting in the opposite order so that hardly applies to us.” That was one aspect of their lives Blaine didn’t feel the least bit envious about. It sounded like a nightmare to him. “Trust me dad, if Kurt and I were anything else than friends, I’d know it.” 

“Don’t be so sure.” River smiled at him. “It is true that you have been spending a lot of time with Kurt lately, far more than you and Sam ever did at the beginning of your friendship.” 

“That was different, we were younger, and there was Brittany as well…” As much as Blaine valued his friendship with Sam, he and Kurt had so much more in common. He knew better than to point this out to River, who would no doubt twist his words to support her wild theories. 

“We’re not trying to make you feel pressured son, we simply want you to be happy,” the Doctor interjected, reaching over to pat Blaine’s hand. 

“I know.” His dad knew a thing or two (or a thousand) about being alone. But Blaine wasn’t the Doctor, he hadn’t lived through such unfathomable hardships like his dad had in the past. He couldn’t let loneliness become a valid enough reason to act on his attraction to Kurt. Not when he could end up destroying a friendship that had become so near and dear to his hearts in such a short span of time. 

Blaine suppressed a sigh; things were not going according to plan like he had hoped. So much for subtly slipping in his little request. All he could do now was mention it outright and face the consequential teasing it would trigger to the best of his ability. The only other alternative was to not bring it up at all, which was out of the question. 

_‘I just need to wait for the right moment to bring it up.’_ Luckily for him, said moment came less than a minute later when his parents were idly sipping at their drinks. “So… While we’re on the subject of Kurt…” 

That sure got his mum’s attention; her eyes narrowing as she flashed him a knowing grin. Ignoring her less than subtle reaction, he turned to the Doctor. “I have a favour to ask of you.” 

“Me?” His dad replied, pointing at himself to be sure. 

Blaine nodded.

“Yes of course, what sort of favour is it? I’ll do whatever I can to help you son, as long it’s in my power--and legal-- _and_ as long as River agrees to it as well.” 

“Could I borrow your psychic paper for one afternoon? I’ll make sure it’s on a day when you’ll be at home and won’t need it yourself.” 

The Doctor shared a look with his wife before he asked, “What do you need it for exactly? Because you must realize how terrifying it would be if it were to fall into the wrong hands. I’m not saying that I don’t trust you, but I’m afraid we’re going to need more information before we can give you an answer.” 

“It’s like this; Kurt is a big fan of Downton Abbey and he and I have started watching the show together recently…” He saw the surprise in his parents’ eyes and gave them a sheepish smile. “I know, it took me long enough, but anyway, a few days ago Kurt was telling me how much he wishes he could visit the filming locations but can’t because either the tours are booked solid, no longer happening, or are horribly out of his price range. He tried to act as if it wasn’t a big deal, but I got the feeling it is. He basically confessed that one of the reasons he came all the way to England for college was because of Downton.”

“It’s nice that you want to do something nice for your friend, but I’m not sure how using my psychic paper would help you,” the Doctor admitted. 

“I do; in fact, it should be obvious to anyone, even you sweetie. Our son clearly intends to show up at the gate and magically be let in after showing it to the guards,” River answered before Blaine had the chance to respond. 

“I do believe you’re assumptions--as always--are right on the dot.” The Doctor scratched the bottom of his chin. “Can’t say I haven’t done the same thing many times over... though not all of them went exactly to plan… there’s a lot that could go wrong. Have you considered the fact that Kurt will be there to see it all? What would he think? Better yet, what sort of explanation would you give him? I know how much you hate lying to people, son.” 

Blaine sighed. “Obviously the details are still a work in progress. I was hoping to see what sort of advice you two might have. I know I’m asking a lot, but I really want to make this possible for Kurt.” 

The Doctor reached inside of his jacket and pulled out the psychic paper, but he didn’t hand it over to his son. “What do you think, dear?” 

Oh no. One look at his mum, who was no longer smiling, put Blaine on instant guard. He was in for it now. 

“I think that while our son claims Kurt is only his friend, he’s becoming more than that regardless of what he’s convinced himself into thinking.” River reached over to grasp Blaine’s shoulder. “I see it in your eyes whenever you say his name, honey.” Her smile was kind and full of loving understanding. 

Blaine resisted the urge to fall into her warm embrace; it was time to play the ignorant card. “Sorry, I’m not following you.” 

“Are you sure about that now?” River said in a firm voice. 

Few people (men especially) in the universe could go up against River Song and live to tell about it, or at least come out fully unscathed. Except Blaine wasn’t just anybody; he was her child, and that made all the difference. Mother and Son stared at each other for a tense minute, both determined to wait until the other gave in.

She could stare at him with those intimidating eyes for as long as she liked; Blaine wasn’t going to tell her what she wanted to hear. His mum would have to accept that she was wrong for once. He was not falling in love with Kurt against his better judgement. 

Another minute passed before River suddenly broke eye contact with her stubborn son. “ _Men_!” Throwing her hands up in the air, she got up from the table in what only could be described as an impatient huff. 

“Where are you going?” The Doctor called as his wife stormed off. 

“To get some air.” 

The Doctor looked around. “But we’re already outside.” When it was clear River wasn’t coming back, he let out a tired sigh before turning his attention back to Blaine. “She won’t be gone for long. I can tell she’s not feeling too cross.” 

“You’re not lending me the psychic paper are you?” Blaine asked, cutting to the chase. 

“I’m afraid not, or at least not yet. I agree with River Blaine, you need to sort out your feelings for Kurt first.” 

Blaine crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not like you’re one to talk dad; you shied away from romantic entanglements for hundreds of years.” 

“I did,” the Doctor confirmed. “And I lived those years alone because of it.” 

Fatigue had begun to wear Blaine thin (both physically and emotionally) by this point, but he had to give one last effort to finally make his dad understand where he was coming from. 

“With all due respect dad, I’m not you. I’m not travelling through time in space in the Tardis. I’m stuck here on earth trying to live a normal human life when the truth of the matter is… I’m never going to be fully normal. Pretty soon I’m going to stop aging and then what? How am I supposed to explain that to the people in my life? I can’t tell everyone the truth. Even if I did have feelings for Kurt--” Blaine felt his throat tightened up. “And I’m not saying that I do--there’s no future for us; my time on this planet is limited and you and I both know it--but Kurt doesn’t, and that’s the root of the whole problem.” 

The Doctor waited until he seemed to be sure Blaine was finished taking. Sinking down into his chair, he raked his hands through his hair. It was very rare for his dad to be at a total loss for words like this. “It’s your life in the end son, and whatever actions you take are ultimately yours to decide. ” 

“But it’s better to have love and lost than never to have loved at all?” Blaine offended, letting a bit of sassy defiance out. 

“Did you know I was the one who came up with that old saying?” 

Blaine snorted. “I know you’re just saying that to lighten the mood.” 

“No really, I’m being perfectly honest. I said that exact thing to Alfred Lord Tennyson one night at a formal party and he went, ‘I like that. I think I’ll have it’ and lo and behold, it showed up in one of his poems months later.” 

“Sure, Dad.” Blaine was in no state of mind to wrap his head around the time paradox his dad may or may not have created, let alone try to figure it out. He didn’t see much reason to stick around now that he knew his dad wasn’t going to lend him his psychic paper anytime soon either. 

Rising from the table, Blaine grabbed for his cup of coffee with a abrupt wave of his arm and stomped off without giving his dad any warning. 

“Oi, where do you think you’re going off to, young man?” demanded the Doctor, who sounded far more outraged than when his wife had left in a huff.

Blaine didn’t stop in spite of his dad’s less than subtle protests. “To get some air!”   
_____________________________________________________________________________

With no other alternative Blaine could think of to make Kurt’s Downton Abbey tour dreams a reality, he was forced to put his plans on the backburner for now. If his parents thought that he was going to suddenly admit he fancied Kurt just to get his way, then they were in for a big letdown real soon. 

Disappointed but not fully defeated, Blaine resumed his regular everyday life the moment he was back in Cambridge. No sooner than his goodbyes to his family, Kurt called him up asking if he’d like to come over to help him pick out an outfit for Sam’s party on Friday night. Blaine had accepted the invite, and now found himself sitting on Kurt’s bed as his friend routed through his wardrobe. 

“Hmm,” Kurt mumbled to himself, bringing out a blazer that was a gradient between mauve and pale pink for Blaine to inspect. “How about this? It’s by Junya Watanabe. It’s from a few years back but it’s still very much in style, as I’m sure you can see. I can still barely believe I found it for such an amazing price.” Kurt’s eyes were wild with giddy excitement. “I’ve been dying to wear it to something!” 

“Err,” Blaine began as gently as possible. “It’s great, but I think it’s a bit too overdressed for Sam’s birthday party, Kurt.” 

Kurt looked at the jacket and sighed. “I see what you mean. So I should go for a more casual look then. All right… I’m sure I can find something more suitable easily enough.” 

“Can I be of better assistance?” Blaine asked, doing his best valet from Downton Abbey impression. His attempts were rewarded when Kurt gestured for Blaine to take his place and give it his best shot. Excited at the prospect, Blaine rubbed his hands together as he dove into the challenge head first. 

After going through Kurt’s impressive wardrobe (how did he fit everything into his dorm room?) he picked up the first piece that caught his eye. Blaine held up the white dress shirt that was cleverly covered in outlined stars. “How about this? Casual but still classy.” 

“Anything by Neil Barrett is usually a wise choice.” Kurt went over to his dresser and came back with a pair of faded blue jeans. “And they should work nicely with the pair of Nudie Jeans I’ve recently acquired. I haven’t worn them yet, but there’s stretch in them so they won’t really need any breaking in beforehand.” 

Blaine’s mind had gone blank when Kurt had said the word Nudie, which he had heard as nude, hence the mental blackout. His momentary lapse--while embarrassing--didn’t last long enough for Kurt to notice. “I think we’re onto something here, Kurt.” 

“I hope so; I want to make a good impression,” Kurt said. “This is the first time I’m going to a party with people my own age since I was eleven.” 

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Just be your usual interesting self and you’ll do great. The only other advice I can give you is to keep close tabs on how much you’re drinking.” Blaine blushed. Great. He’d basically insinuated that he thought Kurt couldn’t look after himself. “That’s what I’m planning to do in any case.” 

Kurt grinned. “Thanks for the tip; I’d hate to get too sloppy. I have no idea what kind of drunk I’d be since I’ve never gotten drunk before. I’m not too keen on finding out at Sam’s party of all places.” 

“It would be better than at a pub at least,” Blaine said, making a joke at his own expense, but Kurt’s giggle in reply was well worth it. 

Before either teen could add any further flirtatious comments, Santana, who was decked out in the tightest and most curve hugging red dress Blaine had ever seen, waltzed into the room acting as if she owned the place. 

“Okay gays, tell it to me straight; does this dress I’m wearing flatter my flawless bod enough to make you wanna switch to birds? ‘Cause I want to look so hot at this sorry party that everyone in the room will want a piece of me.” 

“Santana, it’s a birthday party for Sam, not an orgy,” Kurt answered flatly. 

Santana rolled her eyes. “Don’t be such a prude Lady-Hummel, just cause you two have sworn off sex doesn’t mean the rest of us have. Not that I’m about to start sleeping with blokes again, but I’m fine to admit it’s fun to leave ‘em panting and pining for me.” 

“You look smashing, Santana,” Blaine offered, and his words were completely genuine.

If Kurt had any thoughts about her appearance then he didn’t seem too inclined to share them. 

“Cat got your tongue, Hummel? And you call yourself a fashion expert. At least your boyfriend has enough sense to tell it like it is.” Santana said, passing Blaine by as she headed back towards the door, but not without giving his backend a little pinch goodbye on her way out. 

“He’s got a nice ass too, it’s a shame you’re not tapping it, Hummel.” 

Kurt must have seen him flinch, because once she was gone he asked, “Did she pinch you on the butt?” 

“Yeah,” Blaine admitted, rubbing said spot on his now sore behind. “I think that’s my cue to leave before she comes back for more.” It was ten to eleven and while the party wasn’t until tomorrow evening, Blaine wanted to be well rested for it. Not only that but he has his own outfit to figure out. He was tempted to ask Kurt to help him tomorrow afternoon but that would go against their promise to keep some space between them. 

Nodding in agreement, Kurt said, “That’s probably a good idea. See you tomorrow then?” 

“Till tomorrow. I’ll let myself out. I know you’re dying to get back to your reading.” Blaine gave Kurt’s shoulder a quick tap on his way out before darting down the stairs on the off chance Santana was lying in wait somewhere. 

By the time he made it to the front door he had safely managed to avoid her, but his relief was short lived when he came face to face with Quinn once he was outside. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him; uh-oh, she meant business. 

“Hello there Blaine, you’re just the man I was be hoping to talk to.” Her tone wasn’t very inviting. 

“About what exactly?” 

“It shouldn’t be hard for you to take a guess.” Quinn took hold of Blaine’s arm and lead him away from the front door. “Join me for a walk in a garden and we’ll get down to business.” 

Blaine went along with her. “Is it my turn for an intervention now?” 

“I knew you were too smart to keep trying to play ignorant.” Her smile held a hint of playfulness; Blaine didn’t know what to make of it. “Don’t worry, this shouldn’t take us very long.” 

_‘Then why do I feel like a man who’s walking to his execution?’_ Blaine thought.

When they reached the garden, Quinn wasted no time in turning to look straight at Blaine. “Santana and I tried talking some sense into Kurt about how close you two were getting--” 

“--I know, he _told_ me.” Pulling his arm away, Blaine freed himself with little effort. He could have left but he knew that wouldn’t do him any good. “And we talked about it that same day. We both acknowledged that we had been spending a lot of time with each other and properly addressed the issue. ” 

“And yet you’ve already gone back to spending everyday together,” Quinn pointed out. 

Rolling his eyes, Blaine turned around and pretended to admire a nearby rose bush. He could practically feel Quinn’s dagger-like eyes burning a hole in his back. “Yes but we’re not always by ourselves anymore; you’ve hung out with us plenty of times and so has Sam and Brittany. We’ve also spent time apart during the week. You can hardly blame us for hanging out when we’re at school; we have all the same classes together but one.” 

“Kurt likes you, which you apparently know already,” Quinn said. “I was surprised when Kurt told me the fact, but what surprised me even more was when he said you admitted you’re attracted to him too.” 

“As I said, we talked about it. We promised to be honest with one another right from the start.” 

“What about being honest with yourself? Look Blaine, I’m used to not caring enough about other people to say or do anything. I’m trying to change that and become a better friend.” 

Blaine frowned. “You could have fooled me.” 

“I’m not trying to force you to do anything here, Blaine.” 

Blaine couldn’t help but notice how her words mirrored what his parents had told him in France. “We’re not hurting anyone,” he said, more to convince himself than her. 

“For now, but that could change in an instant.” 

“Your concern is appreciated but unnecessary, now I really must be going--”

Stepping forward, Quinn managed to get in front of Blaine before he could make a hasty retreat. “If you really are hell bent on staying Kurt’s friend and nothing else then you need to commit to that decision. That means no more flirting with him, no more giving him false hopes and mixed signals. You may not realize it--don’t ask me how--but you two are acting like you’re boyfriends, or at least that’s what kind of message you’re projecting to those around you.” 

“I’m well aware of the rumours that have been spreading around…” 

Quinn flashed him a sharp look. “Have you? Have you really stopped to think about why those rumours started in the first place? Whether you’re aware of it or not, you’ve been treating Kurt like a boyfriend, and because you keep insisting you’re not, he’s missing out on so much. I’m not even referring to sex either. For most of his life, Kurt hasn’t been able to be honest with himself, he might have formed secret one-sided crushes, but that’s it.” 

“I’m aware of that,” Blaine said. 

“Then why haven’t you tried to set the record straight that Kurt is available then? I, unlike Santana, find it hard to believe that you would willingly let people think you were dating because it keeps Kurt’s suitors away.” 

Blaine could only imagine what other harsh accusations Santana had made about him. 

“You’re forgetting something Quinn; if Kurt’s unhappy with how things are then he would tell me. But he hasn’t said anything like that; furthermore, Kurt has had every chance to set the record straight himself. For all I know, he could have, except he would have told me if that were the case, I’m sure.” 

The tension building in Blaine’s shoulders made him feel jumpy with nerves; he needed to move on before he said something he might regret. 

“Quinn, it’s late and I’m tired… about a lot of things. I’m glad Kurt has a friend who cares about him as much as you do, but I’m done talking about this.” 

Quinn gave him one final stare before shrugging at him. “Fine then.” She was back to her old guarded self already. “You have a good night, Blaine.”

Remaining still, Blaine watched her as she headed to the front door and went inside without looking back at him. Once he was sure she was gone for good, Blaine let a heavy sigh of relief. 

_‘I sure hope there’s no more surprises for me tonight,’_ Blaine muttered to himself as he prepared to leave. 

He heard the sudden sound of a window opening and looked up. At first he thought it might be Santana, but thankfully it wasn’t. 

“Blaine?” Even in the darkness he could make out Kurt’s familiar figure. “I thought that was you, what are you still doing here?” 

Blaine looked up at him and smiled. “I thought I’d admire your lovely garden for a moment.” 

“In the dark?” 

Blaine rubbed the back of the neck; he was glad Kurt probably couldn’t see his sheepish face from this distance. “The flowers smell as good at night as they do during the daytime, Kurt.” 

“I think you need to go home and go to bed, Blaine. You’re obviously so exhausted you’re not making any sense.” 

“ _Your_ constant concern for my well being is endearing.” 

“Well, _you’ve_ left me little choice, what with your questionable actions of late, Mr. Anderson.” Kurt’s British accent had improved, but not by much; he still sounded terrible. 

The temptation to stick around and have a flirting match with Kurt was strong, but if he were to do that then he might as well admit that Quinn was right. A whole new set of rumours about how Blaine had romantically serenaded Kurt in front of a window out and for all to see would be front page news--or at least very text worthy gossip. 

“I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow, Kurt,” Blaine called out. 

Waving, Kurt replied, “Night, Blaine.” With that, he pulled his head back inside and closed the window. 

“Goodnight, Kurt,” Blaine said, though his friend was no longer there to hear it. It was better that way he told himself. He needed to distance himself a bit, or at least be more aware of what sort of message he was projecting--both to Kurt and to those around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far one of my favourite chapters of the story. =) Hope everyone enjoyed it too.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Saturday night had finally arrived, which meant Kurt Hummel was about to face the daunting task of going to his first real party. Aside from family affairs and birthday parties back when he was a kid, Kurt hadn’t been around so many people who were his own age in a social setting before.

Back in Ohio Kurt hadn’t dared to attend any school dances or parties, not that he’d been invited, or would have found a date to go to any with. At the time, Kurt hadn’t been that disappointed; it wasn’t as if he could truly be himself in any of those settings. But so much had changed since then; Kurt wasn’t in the closet anymore. He finally felt confident enough to experience the party scene. 

Kurt ended up running into (not literally this time, thankfully) Adam right when he stepped out of his dorm room. 

“Hello, Kurt.” Adam gave Kurt’s appearance a quick once over, but his eyes didn’t linger. “You’re looking smart. Big plans tonight?” 

“In a sense, I’m going to a friend’s birthday party.” It felt to weird saying the words _I’m going_ and _party_ in the same sentence. 

“Try not to have too much fun now,” Adam warned, though his grin showed he was clearly joking. 

Unbeknownst to Kurt and Adam, Blaine, who had just finished climbing the stairs, took one look at them pleasantly chatting together and froze. 

Frowning in disapproval, Blaine muttered, “Why is it always Adam?” The man seemed harmless enough; he was friendly with everyone who lived at Carlyle (and anyone associated with them). He still didn’t know very much about the man aside from Adam being a senior, the RA for Carlyle and that he was openly gay. That last fact had come as a bit of a shock when Kurt had nonchalantly mentioned it to Blaine one afternoon. 

Blaine had offered to drive Kurt, Quinn and Santana (who had invited herself along after popping out of nowhere) to the party and was here to pick them all up. 

“Careful Blaine, or someone might think you’re jealous,” a voice warmed from behind. 

Whirling around, Blaine had the displeasure of seeing Quinn smirking at him in amusement. 

“Thanks for the warning.” Blaine figured that denying her claims wasn't a good idea. 

“It’s all right if you’re feeling threatened by a sophisticated older man who actually sounds properly British,” she said as her smile grew and grew. 

Was Quinn taking ‘how to be annoying’ lessons from Santana all of a sudden? And here Blaine had hoped that she would cut him some slack after their _little chat_ last night in the gardens. 

“Kurt’s free to flirt with whomever he wants,” Blaine retorted.

“You two do realize that you’re not behind some invisible sound barrier and that we can hear you?” Adam said all of a sudden. “There is a difference between flirting and simply being friendly, so I advise both of you to learn them before making any future assumptions.” 

Blushing in embarrassment, Blaine fought to keep hold of the last bit of decorum left in him. “Right, I will. Sorry about that.” 

“Adam wasn’t flirting with me; he has a boyfriend. We were just talking, Blaine,” Kurt explained. 

“I see. I did not know that.” Blaine couldn’t think of anything else to say, but at least he was being honest for once.

“I do indeed have a boyfriend; we should all go to the pub sometime so I can properly introduce him to you, Blaine,” Adam said. 

“I’d like that, thanks, Adam.” The dorm R.A said his goodbyes and Blaine turned to look at Quinn and Kurt.. “I see you’re both ready for the party.” The white and pale yellow floral-print dress Quinn was wearing suited her complexion. “You look lovely, Quinn.”

“Thanks.” She gave him a quick once over too. “Kurt’s right; you do look good in cardigans.” She glanced at Kurt. “And what about Kurt and how dreamy he looks? Don’t you have anything nice to say about him, Blaine?” 

Dreamy didn’t even begin to describe how amazing Kurt looked; from the way that his jeans perfectly hugged his ass, to how his shirt did nothing to hide his well toned arms, he was a true sight to behold. Blaine had no idea what Quinn had up her sleeve, but he wasn’t about to miss the chance to give Kurt a well deserved compliment. “You look very handsome, Kurt.” 

“Thank you, Blaine,” Kurt said, fluttering his eyes a little. “And like Quinn already said; you don’t look so bad yourself.” 

“I suppose all that’s left is for one of us to collect Miss Lopez and we can be on our merry way” 

“Should we draw straws?” Kurt asked when no one immediately volunteered for the task. 

“That won’t be necessary boys, because here she is now,” Quinn said, nodding her head towards Santana, who was sauntering her way over to them. 

She was wearing the same dress she had shown off yesterday and looked every bit as sensual now as she had then. If anything, the electric red stiletto heels Santana had chosen elevated not only her height but her sex appeal as well. So did the matching red lipstick and perfectly applied smokey eyes; she was the definition of a femme fatale. Blaine bet that Santana and River would have gotten along well if they had met during his mum’s younger (and more rebellious) years. 

“What’s up yanks, and Blaine, who sounds like a yank but swears he’s a local,” Santana said, giving them one of her typical passive aggressive greetings.

What Blaine wouldn’t give to watch present day River interact with Santana; his mum would give her a real run for her money. He wasn’t about to introduce the two to each other no matter how tempting of a showdown it would be though. Such a scenario was a nightmare waiting to happen for sure! 

“Glad you could make it, Santana,” Blaine said, though his sarcastic tone said otherwise. 

“So where’s this party being held?” asked Kurt, no doubt to move things along. 

Blaine double checked the directions on his phone even though he had them memorized. “It’s nowhere I’ve been before. I think Brittany said the flat belongs to her rich uncle who’s living abroad right now. It should be interesting in any case, and I’m sure the extra space will be welcomed as well.” 

“As long as there’s alcohol, I’ll be all set,” Santana said. 

“Why am I not surprised.” Kurt was letting out his sassy side tonight. 

“You wanna go, Hummel? Better keep a close eye on your drinks tonight because I’d love to find out what kind of drunk you’d be.” Santana gave him her best menacing smile. “My guess is a trashy one…”

Blaine wedged his way in between them before things could escalate. “Lay off Santana, we’ve got a party to get to, and I expect you to be on your best behaviour.” 

“Sure thing, _dad_ ,” Santana taunted. 

The group of party goers reached their destination with little to no drama thanks to Blaine threatening to break out into song if Santana tried to push her luck too much. After finding a free parking spot a block away, Blaine took the lead. He was actually looking forward to tonight, which was saying something because house parties were usually one of his least favourite things. That opinion didn’t change when they came face to face with a formidable looking man who was covered with tattoos at the front door. 

“Names,” he asked in a deep voice. 

“Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel, Quinn Fabray and Santana Lopez,” Blaine answered. “You’ll see that we’re all on the VIP list.” 

The man’s hardened gaze didn’t soften as he flicked his eyes down to check for himself. After a tense moment passed, his mean demeanor crumbled as a big smile swept across his face. “How about that, you are. Sorry about the hassle; I’m under strict orders from Miss Pierce’s Uncle to make sure no uninvited guests slip in.” He patted Blaine hard on the back. “Go right on in you lot, they’ve been waiting for you.” 

“Thanks,” Kurt said as he hurried along behind Blaine. 

As soon as they cleared the front entrance their appearance was noticed by none other than Brittany, who rushed right over. “Oh, yay! You all made it, even Blaine! I told you he would Sam, you owe me twenty quid!” 

“When did I ever say I wasn’t coming?” Blaine asked, frowning. 

Sam ran up next, nearly tackling Blaine with a big crushing hug; the affectionate gesture while sweet, was a bit too friendly for him usually. The reason for his clingy actions were revealed when Blaine smelt the beer on his breath. The fact that there was a tie wrapped around his forehead was another clue. “Blaine, thanks for coming, mate! Everyone can’t wait to hear you sing tonight.” 

Blaine laughed. “Happy Birthday, Sam.” Any concerns that his friend had let himself go too much were pushed aside. Knowing him, Sam wasn’t actually as drunk as he seemed; he wasn’t swaying or slurring his words or anything along those lines. “I sure hope I can live up to your high expectations.” 

“You’ll be great,” Brittany said. 

Sam finally let go of Blaine and turned his attention to the others. “Kurt, good to see you, I know Blaine will be well looked after with you here.” He turned to Quinn and Santana next, ignoring Blaine’s silent glare. “And welcome ladies, it’s nice to see you both; there’s lots of good stuff to drink and eat here so please feel free to help yourselves.” 

“Happy to be here,” Santana said, quickly moving past the birthday boy so she could greet his girlfriend. “Wow Britt, you sure outdid yourself. This is quite the party you’ve got going on here. I hope Sam knows what a lucky guy he is.” 

“I sure do,” replied Sam, who either didn’t realize the jab she made at him or didn’t care. “Hey Blaine, come with me for a sec so I can show you where the piano is.” 

Blaine was suddenly led away by Sam’s arm around his neck. “What already? I just got here.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you go back to Kurt in a jiffy.” 

At the mention of Kurt, Blaine turned back to make sure his friend was okay, but he appeared to be fine as he chatted with Quinn. Any lingering concerns were momentarily forgotten when he saw the piano Sam had mentioned. 

“Oh, this is a nice one, top of the line.” The instrument was fully set up and ready for Blaine, who sat down on the bench. “Now to see if everything’s in order.” He struck a few keys with his pointed finger, and smiled; the notes it produced were pitch perfect--excellent.

“Thought you’d like it. Britt made sure it would be ready for you, she knows how important having a well tuned piano is to you,” Sam explained, hanging Blaine a piece of paper.

Blaine, who had begun his warm up regimen, stopped playing so he could accept what he assumed was Sam’s setlist. 

“You don’t have to sing all of them, or in that exact order either. It’s more like a suggestion list than anything else. There are some songs I want you do for sure, which have been highlighted. You’re welcome to take any song requests too. I’ll leave all that up to your judgement.” 

Everything Blaine saw so far looked good to him; of course Sam had chosen songs he was familiar enough with that he could go mostly by memory. Not all of them were ones where he would have to sing either, which was considerate of him. There would be no fear of Blaine losing his voice as a result, but he would make sure to take little breaks throughout the night just to be safe. The docking port that conveniently already had an ipod in it seemed to be for that exact scenario as well. _‘Good old Britt.’_

“You have a good variety here Sam; Barry Manilow, very nice, as well as some from Muse… wow, okay, that’s a bit of a vocal challenge, but I’ll sure give it my best shot. Let’s see now…” His eyes scanned further down the impressive list of songs, until one in particular caught his eye and he froze. Hearts racing, Blaine looked up at Sam with overly dramatic horror filled eyes. “Are you bloody serious Sam? You had to go there didn’t you? Don’t think I don’t know why you’ve chosen it; what I’d like to know is why you’re doing this to me, and on your birthday of all nights!” 

Sam grinned. “What? You know the band’s one of my favourites as well as one of yours. Or have you forgotten the time we went to one of their concerts? You could barely speak for days after because of how much you screamed and cheered them on.” 

“But why did you have to pick this exact song? There must be others to choose from,” Blaine demanded. Sam had put three more on the list, but none of them had been highlighted. 

“Maybe if you tell me why you’re so against singing it then I might be willing to take the song off the must-have list.” 

Eyes narrowing, Blaine stared at his grinning friend; the bastard, Sam had him right where he wanted him and was visibly gloating about the fact. Sam was using Blaine’s stubbornness against him; no matter what he did he would be on the losing side. None of this meant Blaine was going to give him the response Sam wanted to hear though. 

“On second thought, I’d be happy to sing it. As you said, it’s a favourite of yours and you are the birthday boy after-all,” Blaine said, releasing the tension in his shoulders with a casual shrug. _‘Let that teach you that you can’t get the better of Blaine Anderson so easily, Sam.’_

“Great. I’m looking forward to hearing it. Until then, feel free to do any warms up you might need.” 

Blaine nodded, relieved that Sam didn’t try to pry the truth out of him. Everything was going to be fine; no one knew the song’s true significance but he and Sam. With any luck, he would be able to perform the number towards the end of the night without any problems. 

_‘I wonder where Kurt’s gotten off to,’_ Blaine thought, scanning the room for any signs of his friend. He quickly located Kurt at the other side of the room chatting with not only Quinn, but three young men who were all handsome as they were tall. 

Good for him. This was exactly what Kurt deserved; the chance to mingle and let everyone else realize how special he is. Blaine had no right to be jealous. Kurt could take care of himself. He didn’t need Blaine looking out for him. None of the men around him were overstepping their boundaries as they all vied for Kurt’s attention.

Since Kurt seemed to be perfectly fine without Blaine around to amuse him, the young musician focused on making sure he was ready to entertain everyone at the party. There were a lot of songs to cover and not a lot of time to make sure he remembered how to play each of them. 

Quinn, on her way back from getting herself a drink, looked over at the piano and sighed. “Someone’s not enjoying being all by himself,” she said to Santana, who had just gotten her own beverage. 

“Serves him right,” Santana said. “If he’d just man up and confess to Hummel they could be grinding together on the dancefloor by now.” 

“As far as I’m concerned they’re on their own; they’ve both made it clear that they don’t need any help.” 

“That suits me just fine.” Santana watched as Brittany and Sam danced together, winking when Brittany waved at her. “ I’ve got stuff of my own to focus on.” 

What Quinn and Santana didn’t know was that Kurt had never forgotten about Blaine even with all the attention he was suddenly getting. He had tried to enjoy himself once he had found Blaine’s whereabouts, and for a while he had managed to, but eventually Kurt grew sick of attempting to make small talk with a bunch of guys that he didn’t seem to have anything in common with. 

Seeking better company, Kurt figured it wouldn’t hurt to check in on Blaine and see how he was doing, but not before he took a quick detour first. 

He found the person he was looking for a short distance away. “Hey there Brittany, great party… say, you wouldn’t know where I could get a drink that isn’t loaded down with booze now would you?” 

Brittany wrapped her arms around Kurt’s shoulders, pulling into a warm hug. “Kurt, hello, aww sweetie you shouldn’t take after Blaine and not indulge a bit. I saw how those guys were checking you out just now. Play your cards right and you could get lucky tonight.” 

“I don’t think so,” Kurt said, smirking. “But the drinks not even for me; it’s for Blaine.” 

“There’s tea in the kitchen; you’re welcome to make some for him.” 

“Thanks.” Kurt went to said kitchen and after hunting through the cupboards he discovered there was quite a selection of tea to choose from. Gosh he loved the British. Grabbing a larger mug, Kurt put the kettle on and hummed to himself as he waited for the water to boil. 

He spent his time watching Blaine at the piano; his focus was quite impressive, nothing--not even the boisterous merriment going on--distracted him from his task. He was in full on performer mode already. Kurt envied Blaine’s ability to shut off the world around him so effortlessly, especially since parties like this weren’t his usual scene. 

Kurt leaned on the counter and let out a dreamy sigh; Blaine looked like a hired musician at a swanky cocktail bar. The sight of Blaine totally in his element and doing something he loved made him look more handsome than usual. It made Kurt’s heart ache with unfulfilled yearning. _‘He’s so drop dead gorgeous...’_

“K- _urt_!” Brittany sang as she bounced into the kitchen. “I’ve brought you something yummy to drink while you make Blaine his tea.” 

“Oh, you didn’t have to go to the trouble…” Kurt began, but the drink she was holding did look pretty good. Maybe it would help distract him from his bothersome feelings about Blaine...

“It’s a raspberry cooler, and before you say no, I made sure the alcohol content isn’t too strong.” Brittany watched as Kurt took the drink and brought it to his lips to have a tentative sip. 

“Not bad.” It didn’t have a burning aftertaste like he’d encountered the few times he’d tried something alcoholic before. 

Brittany studied him for a moment. “Are you feeling all right? You look kinda sad and lonely.” 

“Any other night I’d lie and say that I was fine, but my heart’s not in it,” Kurt said with a sigh. “It’s Blaine… Here I am watching him being all charming, and handsome, and…” Leaning further down on the counter, Kurt drank more of his cooler. “I dunno. I guess I’m finding it difficult to keep on pretending that I’m okay with us only being friends.” 

The kettle started to whistle and Brittany took it off the heat element and poured the water into the teapot for him. 

“You could always say something to him?” 

Kurt shook his head. “I don’t want things to become awkward between us.” 

“Seems like that’s already happening.” 

“Maybe.” Kurt wasn’t used to Brittany being so wise, but he welcomed the advice, even if he was too afraid to follow it. He busied himself by fixing up Blaine’s tea, welcoming the pause in conversation. Brittany must have eventually clued in that he was finished with the subject and moved on, but not before giving his shoulder a little pat of support. The tea now perfectly prepared, Kurt made his way over to Blaine, who was still at the piano going through his warm up routine. 

Kurt stepped up to Blaine from behind and tapped on his shoulder to get his attention.

“Why hello there Kurt, I was hoping you’d drop by to see me,” Blaine said, smiling as he laid on the charm. 

“I come offering gifts. Before you ask, it’s only tea, specially prepared by yours truly.” 

Blaine grinned and accepted the mug. “How kind of you.” 

“I added some lemon and honey to help keep your voice in pristine condition,” Kurt explained. “I hope you’re not going to be chained to the piano the entire night though.” 

“Of course not.” Blaine’s obviously fake scoff made Kurt giggle. “I’ll have regular breaks and intermissions scheduled throughout the night. I’ll be fine, especially when I have a friend like you here to look after me.” 

As if Blaine’s playful grin wasn’t bad enough, his subsequent wink sent Kurt swooning; bracing himself as best he could, he managed not to keel over on the spot. Good thing too because Blaine shifted over on the bench and patted the empty spot invitingly. Hoo-boy. Acting nonchalant when Kurt was so painfully aware of Blaine’s radiating sex appeal was no easy feat. Kurt called forth whatever strength left in him as he casually (or so he hoped) joined Blaine on the bench. 

“So…” Kurt began, feeling sheepish and awkward. “What sort of songs will you be singing for us?” 

For some reason, Blaine took the list he had been holding and placed it face down onto the piano. His action wasn’t too concerning, but the look of worry on Blaine’s normally carefree face potentially could be. What was he so nervous about, and more importantly: was Kurt the reason? 

“Am I not allowed to see the list?” Kurt asked with a playful smile; maybe Sam wanted it to be a surprise. 

“Oh no, not at all,” Blaine stuttered as he brought it over. “I was going to say them outloud, but having you read them for yourself would be easier.” He handed the list over without any further ado, keeping his eyes fixated on Kurt’s face as he began to read. 

Kurt’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Oh, my god! You’re singing songs by the Scissor Sisters? They’re one of my favourite bands!” 

“They’re mine as well, and Sam’s,” Blaine said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I sometimes forget that they’re not from the UK.” 

“Well Britain is where they got their claim to fame, so I can see why.” Kurt turned his attention back to the list. “Now here’s an actual English band, as in Muse, which is another one of my favs. I love how the band likes to incorporate piano into a lot of their songs, which works well for you tonight, Blaine.” Almost every song Kurt saw on the list were ones he knew and couldn’t wait to hear Blaine sing. “But I’m a little disappointed that there’s no show tunes to be seen--or rather, sung.” 

Blaine’s playful smile was back. “I’m allowed to take song requests, so feel free to make as many as you like.” 

There were a number of songs that came to mind, all of them romantic, and most of them weren’t even showtunes. One song that perfectly summed up his current feelings jumped to the top of the list he was forming in his head. Unfortunately, the mere thought of suggesting it to Blaine without revealing its personal significance was beyond Kurt’s acting ability (at least in his vulnerable state). 

“Don’t be shy now, Kurt, I’m sure you can think of something good…” Blaine gently coaxed, nuding Kurt’s shoulder in encouragement. 

“I can think of a bunch, that’s the whole problem,” muttered Kurt, who thought, _‘One problem anyway.’_ This was getting ridiculous. He was the show tunes king for goodness sake; there had to be something more appropriate he could suggest.

Why did so many songs have to be about love! Then again, maybe this could be a way to convey his change of heart without being too obvious about it. Kurt got the feeling that Blaine wouldn’t respond well to a more direct approach right now. Not when they were so out in the open and far from alone. It was a gamble; Blaine might not get the hidden message, but that was a risk Kurt was willing to take. 

“There is _one_ song that comes to mind... I think it’s right up your alley too.” 

“By all means Kurt, please, lay it on me.” Blaine leaned forward, resting his chin on the back of his hand. “I’m all ears.” 

Edged on by the playful tone of Blaine’s voice, the twinkle in his eyes, and Kurt’s own racing heart, he threw caution to the wind and said, “‘Kiss On My List’ by Hall and Oates.” 

Blaine’s entire life suddenly flashed before his eyes, or that’s what it looked like from Kurt’s perspective. His flirty attitude was nowhere to be seen and had been replaced by wide eyed panic. 

_‘What have I done?’_ No. Kurt refused to let himself become swallowed up by regret. “Are you familiar with it?” 

“Yes.” Blaine’s adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard. “Yes I am.” He must have been telling the truth because his cheeks were flushed pink. “It’s uh…” Blaine hadn’t moved away from him yet, but his eyes kept darting down at their nearly touching shoulders. “It’s not a show tune though.” 

“I know.” Kurt wanted to hide under the piano. “But the lyrics speak to me.” 

Gulping down another catch in his throat, Blaine finally managed to look directly at Kurt. There was so much fear in his eyes, which made no sense at all? What was Blaine so scared of? The fear of commitment? That felt too small of him to be true. There had to be a better reason. 

“Kurt I…” Blaine’s inner struggle was painful to watch. “You know I said that I couldn’t--” 

As if by magic, (or in Kurt’s case, a cruel twist of fate) Sam chose that exact moment to stand up and address the room. “All right! I think it’s about time we heard some music, courtesy of my best mate Blaine, who has graciously offered to perform for us tonight!” 

All eyes were suddenly on Blaine, who took a second to react to the attention. “Oh, right.” He gave Kurt a helpless look and faced Sam. “Anything for the birthday boy.” 

“Some guys have all the luck,” Kurt muttered, slipping away before Blaine could say anything to him. 

Kurt silently made his escape, never once looking back as he went over to the far side of the room. Once he was sure he was safely hidden behind the crowd forming around the piano, Kurt watched Blaine attempt to shake off their confrontation. Closing his eyes, Blaine took a deep breath as he slid to the centre of the bench. His hands outstretched until his fingertips touched the piano keys. He took another breath before opening his eyes back up and Kurt saw he had successfully switched to performer mode. 

The song was one Kurt instantly recognized; ‘You’re Lookin’ Hot Tonight’ by Barry Manilow suited Blaine smooth sounding voice quite nicely. The arrangement he had gone with transformed the classic 80s number into a romantic ballad well suited for the piano. It wasn’t long before most of the room was clapping along to the beat, save for Kurt, who was too full of conflicting emotions to join in. Seeing Blaine’s undeniable talent did nothing to mend his aching heart. He couldn’t help but picture himself up there leaning on the piano singing along.

Kurt didn’t dare hope that Blaine would add ‘Kiss On My List’ to his setlist. _‘Serves me right for trying to push him.’_

“Are you doing all right, Kurt?” He knew it was Brittany before turning around to see her worried face.

“I’m fine,” Kurt answered, choosing to lie this time. 

Brittany tilted her head to the side. “No you’re not. Those big blue eyes of yours are telling me that you’re going through something.” She smiled at him. “You can tell me about it. I’m a good listener, just ask Blaine.” 

The fact that no one seemed to be paying any attention to them made it easier for Kurt to open up. “Tell me Brittany, did I ever stand a chance with Blaine or have I been fooling myself this entire time?” he asked at point blank. 

“Blaine may be clever, but he can still be real thick at times too,” Brittany began; although comforting, her comment didn’t make much sense. “You’ve been handling him good; he would have run away ages ago if you’d gone with the aggressive approach.” 

Kurt sighed. _‘Now she tells me.’_

“What happened?” 

“I had a moment's weakness and basically told Blaine that I wanted to kiss him… and he freaked out on me.” Kurt’s claims were a bit of a stretch, but Blaine might very well have reacted that strongly if they had been alone. “I know this was hardly the best time or place… I just couldn’t help myself…” 

Brittany laid a supportive hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “Don’t give up hope Kurt; it’s not over yet…” She glanced over at Blaine, who had the party goers eating out of his hands as he sung his heart out. “Trust me on this.” 

As much as Kurt wanted to believe her, Brittany hadn’t been there to see the panic in Blaine’s eyes. It wasn’t as if Kurt had expected him to kiss him right then and there; all he had wanted was some sign, some inkling that Blaine felt the same way he did and maybe wanted the same things. 

Even in the event that he didn’t, Kurt could no longer deny that he wanted to have a romantic relationship with Blaine. He wanted to be able to hold Blaine’s hand whenever the notion struck him, he wanted to speak what was in his heart, and have his first kiss with someone who adored and cherished him just as much. The thought that Blaine couldn’t be that person hurt, but his days of blissful ignorance were over. 

A line between them had been drawn, Kurt had done his part; now it was up to Blaine to decide if he would cross over, or run off in the opposite direction.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Five songs later, Blaine couldn’t take it any longer; he needed to speak to Kurt or else he wouldn’t be able to get through the rest of his setlist. The memory of how badly he had reacted to Kurt suggesting ‘Kiss On My List’ kept replaying in his mind. All of the stupid panic, and unbearable awkwardness, and how he had been too stunned to say anything, but the worst thing was how hurt Kurt had looked when he had broken away from him. Had he been able to tell how relieved Blaine was when Sam had interrupted them? Probably.

What should he do now to mend things between them? The real question Blaine should be asking himself was if there was anything he could even do. Blaine’s only option was to let Kurt down as gently as possible. Somehow he had to make Kurt see how he deserved so much better than the likes of him. He should be with someone who didn’t have any secrets to hide and who he could grow old with. 

“You’re doing a smashing job, Blaine, the crowd loves you. You’ve killed my top five songs out of the water too, well, all but one, so how’s about you do the final one and take a well earned breather, mate,” Sam said, slapping him on the back. 

“Not now,” Blaine said with a sad groan. 

“Something the matter?”

Blaine wasn’t in the mood to share his personal problems--not even with Sam. Left with no choice, he pushed his worries deep down inside himself. It took him longer than he would have liked, but then, the song Sam had just spoke of was the very one he had been dreading singing all night long. It seemed rather fitting that he would have to face it now after what had happened between him and Kurt (or rather, what hadn’t happened). 

This was the price he paid for refusing to see the truth of their situation, he supposed. 

“Blaine?” 

Oh right. Sam was still there. Forcing a smile, Blaine looked up at Sam and nodded. “I’m okay.” It amazed him that he didn’t choke on the lie, because he was far from all right. 

“If you need to take a break now then you can go ahead,” offered Sam, who sounded concerned now. 

Blaine shook his head. “There’s no need.” 

“As long as you’re sure…” 

“I’m sure.” 

Sam eyed him with suspicion but didn’t press the matter any further. “I’ll go find Brittany then, she loves this song. Don’t start until you see my signal. Thanks.” 

_‘Calm down, it’s just a song, it doesn’t need to mean anything,’_ Blaine coached himself once Sam was gone. 

“Oi, Blaine!” Sam’s voice shouted a moment later, pulling Blaine away from his thoughts. 

Blaine looked ahead and quickly found Sam, who was waving at him to start the song. Brittany was standing beside him with her arm around his waist. He flashed his friends a big smile in acknowledgement, and he was about to start the music, when his eyes fell on Kurt, who was standing motionless a few steps away from the couple. Blaine sucked in air as they stared at one another; the moment lasted for less than a second, but it was felt by the both of them. 

There was so much raw emotion in Kurt’s blue eyes; vulnerability, regret, and… pain, pain that Blaine had caused. 

_‘I’m sorry,’_ Blaine couldn’t bring himself to say the words aloud, so he said them with his eyes. Kurt didn’t respond; his hands were in his pockets as he continued to look ahead. He didn’t turn away, but the connection between them broke nonetheless. Kurt had shut himself off from Blaine; he might as well not be there at all. 

Blaine had lost him then. It was already too late. Oh how he wished he could reach out to him and make it all better. But he couldn’t, not without feeding Kurt with lies, and Blaine couldn’t bring himself to do that. The only way he could pull through this was to give himself to the music and let it take over. The stage was set, his audience was anxiously waiting for his performance; all Blaine had to do was start to play. 

Closing his eyes, Blaine took a deep breath, held it and let it out at the exact time he struck the first note. 

Kurt hadn’t planned on watching Blaine play, but Brittany had insisted he stick around for one last song before he left. Sam had practically dragged him closer towards the piano, and since Kurt was in no mood to fight him he had simply gone along with it. Kurt silently watched Blaine as he began to play ‘Might Tell You Tonight’ by the Scissor Sisters. 

His emotional barriers managed to keep Kurt from visibly reacting to the beautiful sound of Blaine’s golden voice as he sang the love song. He sounded so amazing! While he had no proof, Kurt got the feeling that the slower arrangement Blaine had chosen was of his own creation. It felt like something he would do. Jake Shears (the band’s lead vocalist) would have been moved to tears if he had been in the room. 

As for Kurt, he fought to keep himself together and he was managing well enough, right up until the chorus came along. Kurt’s inner integrity began to crumble the moment _love_ was sung. The song moved along to the much safer second verse just in the nick of time. He even managed to chuckle along with the crowd when Blaine sang the lines ‘never took piano lessons’ and flashed his audience a cute smirk at the irony. 

Kurt’s downfall came when he foolishly allowed himself to look at Blaine without any blinders on and that was it, the feelings he had tried to push away came rushing back. Before he knew it, he felt himself nearly being lulled into a trance; Kurt couldn’t turn away. All that mattered in that instant was Blaine and the many ways he pulled at him. 

_And I just might say it tonight_  
I just might say it tonight  
I just might tell you tonight… 

All of a sudden, Blaine, who had been singing with his eyes shut during the chorus, opened them and looked straight at Kurt. The contact caused him to pause as they gazed at one another; the world around Kurt faded, making it feel like Blaine was singing directly to him. 

_...That I love you…_

A single tear trickled down Kurt’s cheek, but he was too moved to acknowledge it; the connection he felt in that moment rocked him to his very core, traveling down his body and right to his racing heart. 

_And you should stay all my life…_

The spell Kurt found himself under finally shattered when Blaine broke eye contact and turned his attention to properly ending the song with a beautiful piano solo. The many insecurities Kurt had pushed aside came rushing back, washing away the hope that had pooled in his heart. 

_‘It was all in my head, wasn’t it?’_ He already knew the answer; the remorse on Blaine’s face when he finally looked his way again was all the confirmation needed. 

Crestfallen at the realization, Kurt managed to slip away unnoticed just as the room broke out in a loud round of applause.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Blaine hadn’t meant to lose track of Kurt, but the piano had been surrounded by a large group of admirers before he could go after him. By the time Blaine had thanked everyone and assured Sam that he was so tired that he needed to lie down it was too late; there was no sign of Kurt. 

“You’ve really gone and done it now, Blaine,” he muttered under his breath.

“Done what?” 

Whirling around, Blaine’s eyes widened when they fell on Brittany who was standing behind him. “Britt!” He grabbed onto her shoulders. “Have you seen Kurt?” Too panicked to wait for her reply, Blaine blurted, “He’s gone isn’t he? I bloody knew it! I’ve scared him off and now he’s gone off to god knows where and he--” 

“ _Blaine_ ,” Brittany said in a firm voice, clutching his arms. “You know I love you, but sometimes you can be a real drama queen.” 

“Sorry,” breathed Blaine, who forced himself to calm down. “So do you know where he went?” 

Brittany nodded. “He did leave, but luckily for you, he didn’t go very far.” 

“What?”

Smiling, she pointed at the ceiling. “Think up, Blainey.” 

“The roof?” 

“Yep. I told him he should clear his head outside before he left for good. Hopefully the night air has cooled his temper off enough that he’ll be willing to talk to you.” 

While Blaine was relieved he had a chance still, he didn’t feel all that confident. “What if I’ve blown things up for good and he won’t listen to me?” Even if it hadn’t reached that point, Blaine had no idea what he could even say to him. 

“What if he’s up there waiting for you to find him?” Brittany interjected. 

She had a point. One that Blaine would be an idiot to ignore. He had two choices here; he could either face his fears and go speak to Kurt, or he could run away and possibly make their situation even worse.

It wasn’t hard for him to make the right decision.

Blaine showed his thanks by giving Brittany a hearty salute and darted off towards the fire escape without another moment's hesitation. Like his father before him, he was finally running towards his problems instead of away from them. He might not be a saviour of worlds, but Blaine didn’t need to be; all he cared about was setting things right with Kurt.  
______________________________________________________________________________

 

Cambridge might not be as faced paced as London, but it sure was beautiful at night. Kurt loved its sleepy college atmosphere, its rich history and how it had medieval buildings mixed among high tech architecture. 

From his viewpoint up on the roof, Kurt could see for miles, though there wasn’t a lot going on at the moment. That suited him just fine; he had more than enough going on to keep his thoughts occupied. He would have used this opportunity to do some stargazing, but big black clouds blocked them from view. It would be just his luck to get caught in a sudden downpour--it would sure suit the gloomy funk Kurt was in, too. 

At first Kurt had tried to leave the party, but keen eyed Brittany had intercepted him and suggested he should go up on the roof to get some fresh air. As much as Kurt dislikes sticking around long enough for Blaine to find him, he didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself. So he had taken Brittany up on her kind offer. With any luck, he’d be able to sneak back downstairs, say a quick goodbye to Sam and leave the party without any trouble. He could easily call a cab once he was a safe enough distance away. Kurt knew he could only avoid Blaine for so long; they would eventually have to face each other and talk about what had happened. 

Unless Blaine intended to downplay things and pretend nothing significant had taken place. It wouldn’t surprise Kurt if he did. What had really happened between them tonight? All Kurt had done was suggest a song for him to sing. The only reason Kurt knew that Blaine had even understood the meaning behind the request was because of how shocked he had been. 

Sighing, Kurt looked down at the street below as he leaned on the edge railing. Hardly anyone was out walking and those who were didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Lucky bastards. What Kurt wouldn’t give to have things be easy for once. But noooo! Kurt had to go and fall for a guy who wasn’t available and had warned him of the fact from the beginning. 

The sound of footsteps behind him tore Kurt away from his inner thoughts. When he slowly turned around he saw that Blaine was walking towards him. 

He stopped a few feet in front of Kurt and gave him a weak smile. “Hey there. I’m glad I managed to catch you.” 

“Hi,” Kurt replied, his body tensing. _‘I’m surprised to see you here.’_ Somehow he managed to keep from saying those sarcastic words. As emotional as he felt, he didn’t want to make Blaine feel bad. Kurt tried to read Blaine’s body language for any signs of what he was thinking, but his attempts came up empty and that worried him--Blaine normally wore his heart on his sleeve. 

The fact that Kurt had no idea what Blaine had come here for unnerved him almost as much as the awkward silence. 

“Did you come up here to get away from me?” Blaine asked, his voice barely a whisper. 

Kurt turned around, resting his back against the railing as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re the main reason, yes… I needed to get some air and let myself sort through all the emotions you bring out in me.” 

“Kurt…” Blaine took a tentative step towards him. “If I did anything to upset you… I am truly sorry. You know I never wanted to hurt you…” 

“I know,” he said. “I didn’t plan on cornering you like that, it just sort of happened.” And now there was no turning back. “I guess my feelings for you run a lot deeper than I realized…” He knew it was risky for him to be so direct with Blaine, but shrugging things off didn’t feel right this time. “Blaine, I need you to be completely honest with me, okay?” 

“Okay,” Blaine whispered. 

“The song you sang back there… the one by the Scissor Sisters, were you…” Kurt’s hands were shaking. “Were you singing that song to me?” 

Time stood still as Kurt waited for Blaine’s response. 

“No, I wasn’t…” 

Kurt couldn’t have hid his disappointed even if he’d tried; tears streamed down his cheeks. That was it then, he had his answer. Blaine hadn’t used the song to confess his hidden feelings for him. The moment he thought they had shared had been one sided after-all. 

“Okay, um, thanks for letting me know. I guess that means we’re done here, at least for now.” Kurt forced his shaky legs to move a few steps away from the railing. “I’ll uh… contact you in a few days and then we can see how things are.” He couldn’t bring himself to confess that he needed time to heal his broken heart. 

Blaine saw Kurt start to move away from him and he suddenly reached out to stop him. “Kurt wait!” He looked down at his hand that was still clutching Kurt’s arm and blushed. What was he doing? This was not the way to get Kurt to stay, he needed to build his trust back up with honesty--or as much as he could allow. 

“Sorry.” Blaine apologized, releasing his arm. “Please don’t go, not yet, there’s more I want to say to you…” 

“I don’t think I can manage anymore, Blaine…” 

“You don’t need to say anything, all you have to do is listen to me, all right?” Blaine begged with pleading eyes. He had no idea what he was doing, he was acting on instinct and was letting his two hearts take control. “Please?” 

When Kurt made no attempts to leave, Blaine went on. “While it’s true that I wasn’t singing the song to you, it’s clear to me now that I wanted to.”

“What do you mean?” 

Smiling, Blaine understood Kurt’s confusion over his vague statement; he needed to word himself a lot better. “What I’m trying to say is; I wish I had been brave enough to sing the song directly to you, Kurt. I’ve never been any good at speaking my feelings; I’m much better at singing them. You weren’t imagining things. There was a moment between us, I felt it the same as you did. There is a connection between us Kurt, one that goes far beyond the bounds of friendship.” 

“Blaine...”

He spread his hands out in front Kurt. “I have no idea what I’m doing. This is all new territory for me. And the reasons why I was trying to avoid relationships are still there… but…” 

“But, but what?” Kurt edged on in anticipation. 

Blaine laughed as he closed in on Kurt. “But what we have and how you make me feel Kurt, it’s too special for me to ignore for any longer.” 

The smile Kurt gave him made Blaine’s hearts sing. “That’s sure music to my ears, Blaine.” 

Blaine couldn’t take it anymore, the intense feelings he had for the amazing man before him had reached their peak. Giddy with emotion, he finally seized the moment by reaching out to touch the bottom of Kurt’s jaw. In an instant, Kurt responded by moving his head almost in unison with Blaine until they came together to share their first kiss.

Kurt’s lips were as soft as Blaine had imagined, but the sensations he felt from the act went beyond his wildest dreams. Kissing Kurt had to be the best feeling in the universe, nothing could compare--and as far as Blaine was concerned--nothing else mattered. Gathering Kurt into his arms, Blaine gave into the sensation and kissed Kurt with more passion than he would have thought was possible. What had started off soft and sweet quickly escalated to something much hotter. He couldn’t keep track of whose hands were whose as they kept the kiss going for as long as possible. 

One moment Blaine’s fingers were entwined in Kurt’s hair, and then they moved down his neck to cling to his shoulders. Then finally, when Blaine didn’t think his hearts could take much more--Kurt pulled back and ended the kiss. 

The look on Kurt’s face (with his mouth hung open in disbelief) was priceless, but his bewildered expression didn’t last for long. With a lick of his lips Kurt’s playful side came out to shine. “We’re not _just friends_ anymore, Blaine.” 

Bless him and his sultry tone of voice that sent shivers down Blaine’s spine. 

“No, Kurt, we are most certainly not,” he agreed, going in for a second kiss. Kurt reciprocated as quickly as the first time, but with a boldness that while unexpected, was very welcome (and very pleasing). Next thing he knew, Kurt upped the game by opening his mouth enough to bring his tongue into play. It was at this point when Blaine’s mind blanked out for a second. 

The rush he felt when his brain began to work once the kiss was over… wow, words couldn’t describe it. His mind was spinning, emotions were running wild, and it was all because of Kurt, wonderfully intoxicating Kurt, the man he had been looking for all of his life and who had been right under his nose all of this time. 

“We’ve been such idiots,” Blaine muttered. 

Kurt nodded. “Foolish beyond belief.” 

“But no longer; we have finally seen the light!” Kurt look up at the night sky above and Blaine smirked. “Metaphorically speaking.” 

Chuckling, Kurt leaned forward, extending his arms until they were casually draped over Blaine’s shoulders. 

Oh how Blaine could lose himself in those shimmering blue eyes. “What?” he asked, smirking. 

Kurt’s smile broadened even more, revealing adorable dimples in his chiseled cheekbones. “I just can’t believe this is really happening…” His hands clasped behind Blaine’s neck as they gazed lovingly at one another.

“And what would make you believe?” Blaine encircled his arms around Kurt’s waist. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Says the man who’s dying to kiss me again.” 

The playful taunt was all Kurt needed to take what was now rightfully his, seizing the day (or rather, the night) by planting a kiss on Blaine’s mouth. Once again Blaine’s world was turned upside down as he and Kurt kissed to their heart’s (all three of them) content, finally free to act on their intense attraction for one another. 

Little by little, Kurt’s confidence continued to grow with each new caress, which in turn made it possible for Blaine to relax enough to do the same. It wasn’t long before passions began to rise, but thankfully--or rather, thanks to Kurt keeping his hands from gravitating south of the equator-- _nothing_ else did. 

_“Blaine…”_ Kurt breathed, shuddering with pleasure. 

Encouraged by the sinfully sensual response, Blaine let his lips wander away from Kurt’s inviting mouth as he explored the side of his cheek, jawline, and then finally stopping at the side of his neck. The deep throaty moan Kurt produced as Blaine decorated his soft skin with kisses did things to him that he had never felt before. The desire he’d managed to keep chained fought to break free, but Blaine reigned it back in. He wanted to keep kissing Kurt’s neck if only to see what other kind of erotic sounds he might induce. 

“Fuck, Blaine.” 

Blaine froze in place. “I’ve never heard you swear before, Kurt.” He gazed up at Kurt through his lidded eye lashes. “I like it.” ‘Like’ didn’t even begin to describe how freaking hot hearing Kurt use profanity (profanity he had caused!) had been. 

“Well no one’s ever sucked on my neck like that before,” Kurt grumbled, though he didn’t sound too disgruntled. 

“First time for everything, eh?” It suddenly dawned on Blaine that after eighteen long years, he’d finally had his first kiss. Not only that, but _he_ had been someone’s first kiss as well. 

Kurt’s flirty expression was back with a vengeance. “I wonder what it would take to make you swear, Blaine.” He ran a teasing thumb across Blaine’s bottom lip. “Should I take a stab at it?” 

“By all means, please--” Blaine’s flirtatious comeback was interrupted by a literal crack, as in lightning.

Both boys looked up in time to see the end of the flash; seconds later the loud boom of thunder followed, and then without any further warning, the heavens opened upon the unsuspecting pair. This was no light evening rain, this was a torrential downpour of epic proportions. There was no time to react and run for cover, all they could do was stand there in utter disbelief at their sad misfortune. 

“Oh, come on,” Kurt finally shouted. “Seriously?” He made no attempts to get out of the rain though, probably because there wasn’t any place on the roof to shelter them. “I dunno what mother nature has against us, but I am far from amused.” 

Blaine couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of the sexy drowned rat in his arms. “Don’t be like that…” He tried to coax a smile out of Kurt by giving him a peck on the lips. “Maybe she’s been routing for us this whole time and this is a gift.” 

“I’m not following you, Blaine…” 

“What did we both agree was one of the most iconic romantic kisses in a film of all time?” 

“You don’t mean…” 

“Oh yes I do.” Wiggling his eyebrows, Blaine released his hold on Kurt so he could give them enough room for what he hand in mind. “Care to fulfill a boyish dream of mine?” 

“Sure,” Kurt said, grinning. “But I get to be Rachel McAdams.” 

Overcome with affection for the amazing young man before him, Blaine grabbed onto Kurt’s neck with his hands, stopping only long enough to mutter ‘Deal’ before kissing him full on the mouth. Out in the rain, the new couple began their reenactment of the kiss from the movie ‘The Notebook’, starting with Blaine, who had thrown himself into the role already, as he lifted Kurt off the ground. 

The world finally came back down when Kurt did, shaky and soaked to the bone, he shivered and hugged his arms for warmth. “As good as that was, it turns out making out in the rain isn’t as sexy as it looks on screen.” 

Blaine laughed. “My poor, Kurt.” Wrapping his arms around his shoulders, Blaine hugged him from behind. “Let’s get you inside before you catch a cold.” 

“Or we’re both washed away.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

“Oh, my god, what happened to you two?” asked Brittany when she saw the sorry state Blaine and Kurt were in. Her concern didn’t go so far for her to get soaked by touching them though. “Did someone throw water on you? That’s a hate crime!” She whirled around at the people in the room. “Which one of you did it? When will this madness end!’ 

Blaine stepped forward to place a hand on Brittany’s shoulder, but stopped when he realized his sleeve was soaked through. “Easy Britt, no one did this to us.” 

“We sort of got rained on,” Kurt said, shivering. 

Before Brittany could ask for more details, Quinn appeared. “And what do we have here? Looking good, boys.” She eyed them for less than a second and grinned. “I’d ask you why you’re both smiling like that, but I think we all know the answer already.” 

“What? What’s the answer?” Brittany demanded, jumping up and down in one spot. “Why am I always the last to know about anything?” 

Blaine made no attempts to hide the giddy happiness bubbling inside of him. “I do believe she’s referring to the fact that Kurt and I had been making out on the roof before we were suddenly rained on.” 

As if they didn’t believe him, both ladies turned to Kurt, who was also grinning from ear to ear. “It’s true.” 

“Finally!” Brittany said, squealing. “Sammy!” She whirled around to look for her missing boyfriend. “That’s fifty quid now! Where are you? It’s time to pay up!” 

A crowd in the left far corner of the room parted as Sam bounded into view. “What are you getting on about?” He took one look at Kurt and Blaine, saw how they were both soaked and yet beaming like lovesick fools, and Sam hooted with triumph. “It’s about bloody time!” 

Sam advanced on Blaine, grabbing him by the shoulders. “I almost didn’t think you had it in you, mate! Tell me what happened, all of it, don’t leave out a single steamy detail. Did you kiss Kurt or was it the other way around?” 

Blaine, who was blushing now, let out a sheepish laugh. “Could we maybe dry off a bit first?” 

“I’ll get you some towels,” Brittany said. “Don’t spill anything until I get back.” 

Santana chose that moment to come over and make her own smug comments. “Well, well, well, someone sure got their mac on, huh?” She nodded in what appeared to be actual approval at their sodden disheveled state. “Don’t try to deny it; I know all the signs.” 

“I wasn’t planning to,” Blaine replied in a tart voice; his days of denial were over. 

Brittany returned with four big fluffy white towels a moment later. Blaine thanked her as he accepted one and started rubbing his arms, then his legs and saved his watered down hair for last. He hated to think how ghastly his hair would look once it dried. Oh well, there was nothing to be done about it. Once he was sure he wasn’t dripping anymore, Blaine mopped up the puddles he and Kurt had made off of the floor. Not fully dry but feeling loads better, he righted himself and was pleased to discover Brittany had a second towel waiting for him. 

“Thank goodness none of the clothes I’m wearing tonight are dry clean only,” Kurt said. 

“Same here,” Blaine replied. 

Brittany took the first two towels from Kurt and Blaine. “You two can go home to dry off if you like, just be sure one of you calls me later to fill us in.” 

“As long as you’re sure…” 

Blaine glanced at Sam, but his friend merely grinned at him. “Go on.” 

“Santana and I can find out own way home,” Quinn added before Blaine could ask them next. 

“Thanks. We’ll be in touch.” Kurt said, taking hold of Blaine’s arm and leading them towards the door. 

Blaine let himself be pulled away, laughing as they went. They made it to the front door and the intimidating bouncer, who waved them off with a big smile, and found themselves out in the pouring rain once again. 

This time Kurt and Blaine scurried their way to Blaine’s car and piled into it the second the doors were unlocked. In the sanctity of the vehicle, Blaine gave himself a moment to let the events of the night sink in better. His smile was back when he got to the part where he had managed to admit his affection for Kurt, and when the memories of the kiss that followed came rushing back he let out a loud cheer. 

Kurt eyed his boisterous outbreak with bemusement. “You all right there, Blaine?” 

“Couldn’t be better.” Blaine couldn’t stop smiling; it didn’t matter that his jaw was getting sore from the strain either. He was that overjoyed. Leaning over to the passenger side, Blaine took Kurt’s hand in his and laced their fingers together. “I’m on top of the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obvious SPOILER ALERT for the chapter but the moment finally happened! About time, huh? Oh those silly boys. 
> 
> Here a link to the song Blaine plays if you're curious, I highly recommend the band!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TosO5ti3LIk


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The drive back to Blaine’s apartment was a surprisingly silent one; neither of the two men in the car seemed too inclined to fill it with conversation. In Kurt’s case, he was busy trying to convince himself that he wasn’t trapped in some vivid dream. How else could he explain how Blaine had not only confessed that he did have feelings for him, but had acted on them as well--multiple times, and judging by the way Blaine kept flirtatiously grinning at him, the best was yet to come!

That is, if Kurt actually found the courage to go that far tonight. For the longest time Kurt had purposely avoided learning the intimate details about what sex was like between two men. Oh, he knew the basic mechanics, of course; who didn’t these days? On a few rare occurrences, Kurt had tried watching _those movies_. It only resulted in him closing the browser tab as fast as possible the second something lewd happened. 

It wasn’t until Kurt had come out of the closet and was preparing to leave for college that he’d finally changed his tune. Kurt had somehow managed to shift through various websites to find the information he had been lacking.

Kurt tore himself away from his thoughts to look at Blaine, who had his eyes on the road as he navigated through the heavy rain. While he looked relaxed enough, Kurt figured he should say something before their prolonged silence could get awkward. 

“Should we be worried that we’re not talking?”

“Sorry that I’m being so quiet…” Blaine apologized. “I’ve been… thinking.” 

“About what?” 

Blushing, Blaine muttered, “I doubt you’d like to hear any of the sinful thoughts that have been going through my head, Kurt.” 

“Try me.” 

“I wish I could, except I’m barely managing to abide proper traffic laws at it is.” A sheepish grin spread across Blaine’s flushed face. “But luckily for us, we’re nearly there.” 

By some small feat short of a miracle, Kurt and Blaine managed to survive the remainder of their drive to Blaine’s apartment, and not a moment too soon. Any longer and Kurt would have been unable to keep his desires at bay and would have told Blaine to pull over. To Kurt’s surprise (and utter delight), Blaine was on him the second he put his car into park, grabbing onto his face and kissing him full on the mouth. 

“We should… we haven’t said what we are…” Blaine stuttered, multiple kisses later. 

Kurt didn’t know why Blaine was turning shy all of a sudden now. “Later,” he murmured, kissing him. “Once we’ve become... _better acquainted_ with one another.” 

Blaine pulled back, and touched Kurt’s knee before he could protest. “You’re sure?” 

“Yes, I’m sure.” Kurt had never been so sure of anything in his whole life. No doubts were left in him; he wanted this, and the fact that Blaine had bothered to check with him only made Kurt want him even more.

Smiling, Blaine replied, “Then so am I.” His warm expression turned into something much more mischievous, and maybe even a little naughty. The hunger Kurt saw in Blaine’s eyes was invigorating to behold. Blaine moved his face closer to Kurt’s, touching his neck as he came in for the kill--or rather, for another kiss. “Now…” Blaine pressed his lips against Kurt’s again, this time in a quick teasing sort of way that left Kurt wanting more. “Where were we?” 

“I believe we were about to have our way with one another?” Kurt would have never dreamed of saying something so forward before, but the way that Blaine’s eyes lit up showed him it had been the right call. 

“I’m crazy about you,” Blaine gushed.

While it wasn’t an official declaration of love, it was still enough for Kurt to throw the last of his worries (along with his inhibitions) out the window for the night. The way that his name had rolled off of Blaine’s tongue, combined with the sizzling undertones that came along with it, as well as his sultry bedroom eyes, was irresistible to Kurt, who was ready and raring to go. 

“Right back at you,” Kurt murmured, kissing him without holding anything back. Unfortunately, the bold move ended up having painful repercussions when the car’s gear shift poked him hard in the thigh. At first he ignored it, but the slight irritation became more pressing as he and Blaine really got into it. Grumbling, Kurt finally forced himself to begrudgingly slide back into the passenger seat.

“Shall we head inside?” asked Blaine, who must have figured out why Kurt had suddenly stopped on his own. 

“I was hoping you’d say that, Blaine.” 

They did have enough sense to keep their hands to themselves (metaphorically speaking, because the eager couple did allow themselves to walk hand in hand) once they exited Blaine’s car and made their way toward his front door. The choice was a wise one too, since it was still raining and hard enough to keep from slipping on the wet ground.

Kurt giggled as they darted from the back of the building and around to the front. Blaine nearly lost his step, but Kurt, who was still clutching his hand, managed to keep him from falling. The lack of cover meant that they were nearly drenched by the time they made it inside. 

Blaine didn’t waste any time; the kiss he gave Kurt once the door was closed was so passionate it sent Kurt flying. Not literally of course, but the act had enough force behind it to send them shuffling backwards. Kurt suddenly found his back against the wall and with Blaine pushed up close against him. There was no time to savour the thrill of their close proximity as Blaine proceeded to launch a kissing attack on his neck. 

“Oh, my god,” Kurt gasped. It wasn’t a swear word, but Blaine seemed pretty proud of himself as he stopped long enough to smirk up at him. 

“Looks like I’ve stumbled onto one of your erogenous zones already, Kurt.” Blaine moved his hands from Kurt’s waist and began to stroke the small of his back as he switched to kiss the other side of his neck. 

The experience, while exhilarating, was lessened by the fact that he and Blaine were still dressed in their soaked clothing. Kurt was tempted to comment on the fact, but he was worried that doing so might ruin the mood.

“Kurt,” Blaine whispered as he moved his head up to smile at him. “Kissing you is… words cannot describe the way it makes me feel.”

“Then don’t bother to even try, we can save our sweet nothings for later.” 

Blaine nodded. “Because we both know this isn’t a one night stand.” 

“Definitely not,” Kurt agreed, grinning. “I’m not letting you go so easily, Mr. Anderson.” He decided to reaffirm his words by showing how he intended to keep Blaine around, which he accomplished by initiating a racy make out session. Unrestrained by the fear of his own inexperience, Kurt let Blaine’s equally urgent reciprocations be his guide. He hadn’t forgotten their miserable soaked state, but he was able to put it aside for an enjoyable interlude. 

“You know what I’m thinking?” Blaine asked; he couldn’t keep his hands from touching Kurt’s neck (not that he minded). 

“I couldn’t even begin to guess…” 

Grinning, Blaine leaned close to Kurt’s ear and whispered, “I think it’s time we get out of these wet clothes.” 

A chill ran down Kurt’s spine and he shivered, more from the sexual undertones in Blaine’s voice than his waterlogged state. He still wasn’t used to seeing someone look at him with such strong physical desire before. 

Kurt ran his hands down Blaine’s shoulders. “As much as the idea of tearing your cardigan off your body in a fit of passion excites me Blaine, I’d never forgive myself if I were to pop a button by accident.” 

“Heaven forbid!” Blaine laughed, pecking him on the lips. “I think it’s in our best interest to disrobe in a somewhat cautious fashion. The last thing we need is the mood being broken by a wardrobe malfunction.” 

“Exactly.” Kurt wanted to have a bit of fun still. “I think I can managed to assist you with the task though, if you’ll let me give it a go.” 

“Oh, um, yes I’d like that,” Blaine stammered. “By all means, please, I have complete faith in your _abilities_ , Kurt.” 

Taking Blaine’s hand, Kurt led them into the bathroom; now that they were no longer dripping on Blaine’s hardwood floor, Kurt set to helping Blaine out of his soaked clothes. The first order of business was to skillfully undo each button of his cardigan; once that was finished, Kurt peeled the wet garment off each of Blaine’s arms. Now in his hands, Kurt looked over at the shower and then back to Blaine, who nodded in approval. With a little jerk of his arms, Kurt tossed the cardigan over the shower bar and smoothed it out to dry properly. 

“How’s that?” Kurt asked when the task was done. 

“Almost perfect, there’s just one thing left to fix.” Smirking, Blaine leaned closer to Kurt and quickly freed him of his shirt, and hung it beside his own cardigan. “There we go; now we’ve even.” 

Kurt eyed the short sleeve dress shirt Blaine was still wearing and frowned. “Not quite.” 

Once again Kurt got to business and released Blaine from another layer of clothing until only their white sleeveless undershirts remained. All it took was a shared look of longing for both boys to pull said undershirts over their heads. Finally shirtless and smiling at one another in embarrassed excitement, the couple celebrated with a passionate kiss. 

Blaine’s skin felt slightly cool to the touch, but not for long; the chill from being caught in the rain twice in one night began to subside. This had to be the best way to warm up after a night out in the cold. Kurt explored the contours of Blaine’s exposed skin with his hands as well as his eyes; it turned out he wasn’t the only one who knew how to properly moisturize. The softness of Blaine’s skin was a fun surprise, as was feeling the tight muscles along his upper arms. Kurt was eager to see if Blaine’s neck was as sensitive as his, so he turned his attention to that inviting area next. 

“Kurt,” Blaine muttered after his first tentative kiss. 

A decent start, but Kurt knew he could do way better than that. He could take his time when things weren’t quite so urgent though. Right now all he wanted was to hit just the right spot to make Blaine swear like a sailor. 

“This is…” Blaine said, panting as Kurt nipped at his neck. “This isn’t fair, Kurt.” 

“I’m only returning the favour,” he pointed out, refusing to give in yet; he had a hickey to deliver still. 

Blaine, who was trying to keep as still as possible, did end up swearing, except it was under his breath and impossible to decipher. 

“You know what I just realized, Blaine?”

“Hmm?” 

“We’re still wearing our pants.” 

Chuckling, Blaine said, “That we are, and our trousers for that matter.” His hands found their way to Kurt’s hips. “But yes, we should get out of both before we do anything else.” 

“Oh right, pants means something different here, silly me.” His act wasn’t very convincing, and yet Blaine still kissed Kurt for his cute attempt at humour. But his real reward came when Blaine used his mouth to keep him blissfully distracted as he fumbled with the fly of Kurt’s jeans. 

Kurt gulped down the catch in his throat when he looked down at Blaine, who was on his knees and now grinning back up at him with a pleased look. It took every ounce of control Kurt had left in him to keep his urges in check at the sight of him. Was Blaine going to…

Any dirty thoughts about Blaine possibly giving him a blow job were rendered moot when he stood back up once Kurt was free of his jeans. Oh well. Easy come, easy go. In all honesty, Kurt was relieved that wasn’t the case; the mere thought had been exciting enough. 

“Your turn, Blaine,” Kurt said, allowing his eyes to gaze down to Blaine’s alluring waist. 

“Would you like the do the honours yourself, or should I--” 

Kurt reached out to batt Blaine’s hands out of the way. “Come ‘ere.” He made fast work of Blaine’s fly and eased him out of his pants, rolling them off of his well-toned thighs until they hung around his ankles. As much as Kurt loved skinny jeans, it did make the job of ridding Blaine of them a little more tenuous, but they managed, and without a single blow job joke being made. 

“Have you done this before?” Blaine asked after Kurt finished hanging both their pants on the shower rod. 

Kurt snorted. “Not for anyone but myself. I’m a fast learner though, which you’ll find out soon enough, Blaine.” 

“Save that saucy banter for the bedroom, Kurt.” Blaine grabbed onto Kurt’s arm and led him out of the bathroom. “Which we don’t even need to go too far to reach.” Sure enough, it only took them a few hurried steps to make it to their desired destination. 

They didn’t even make it to the bed before grabbing for one another to resume making out, this time with Blaine’s back pressed into a nearby dresser. In his enthusiasm, Kurt stopped paying attention to his lower regions or his proximity to Blaine’s body. He had been enjoying the feel of Blaine’s tongue as they kissed when all of a sudden their groins brushed together. 

“Fuck!” Blaine blurted, but he didn’t pull away.

Kurt shuddered and bucked his hips forward to give a bit more friction; he wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming thrill it brought him. Wow, he hadn’t expected it to feel this good. Kurt found himself whimpering from the pleasure, and he wasn’t the only one; Blaine was breathing heavily as they moved together. It took a couple of tries to get the right sort of rhythm going, but when they did…

“Fuck, Kurt!” Blaine swore again, burying his head in the nape of Kurt’s neck. He didn’t know what was hotter; hearing Blaine swear or what was going on down south. It was most likely the latter, a fact Blaine seemed to realize because he slowed his frantic pace down around the same time Kurt did. 

“That was…” The fact that Blaine was at a loss for words summed up his feelings pretty well.

“Yeah,” Kurt said. 

Blaine wasn’t about to admit how close he had been to reaching orgasm; he was simply relieved that they had managed to stop before that point. Not that they were in any real rush, there was plenty of time to become ‘better acquainted’ with another, as Kurt had cleverly put it. But there was something Blaine was dying to try and he needed to calm down a bit before suggesting it to Kurt. 

First things first, Blaine needed to set the right mood and he did this by giving Kurt his best flirtatious smile. When Kurt responded by fluttering his eyes, Blaine leaned in for a kiss; he’d intended to keep it tame, but he’d foolishly underestimated the intense chemistry between them. It wasn’t long before their tender caress took a more passionate turn; the dresser he was against was digging into his back, but he ignored it. 

Blaine’s hands trailed down Kurt’s sides in light teasing strokes, relishing the soft skin with his fingertips. He loved the shape of Kurt’s body. Every inch of him was absolute perfection. At the same time his hands wandered downward, Blaine let his lips do the same until they found their way to Kurt’s collarbone. 

Blaine hooked his thumbs under the elastic of Kurt’s boxer-briefs. “Mind if I get rid of these for you, Kurt?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” 

Pushing away from the dresser to give his back a bit of a rest, Blaine dropped to his knees without giving any words (playful or otherwise) of warning. Which meant Kurt had no time to react to the bold move other than gaping at him in surprise. Blaine set his sights down below Kurt’s waist so he could remove his cobalt blue boxer briefs in one swift, albeit slightly awkward movement. Naked at long last, Blaine didn’t hesitate to give Kurt’s cock a nice long look, not bothering to hide his approval in what he saw. 

“Very nice,” Blaine said. “Can I…” 

“I’d be slightly offended if you didn’t.”

There was nothing left for Blaine to do but reach out and touch him, so he did, pushing any lingering nerves aside as his hand clasped around Kurt’s cock. He tried not to overthink things as he gave it a few teasing strokes. This was one of those times he didn’t welcome the fact that he had two hearts; he was getting way too excited. At this rate, he might come before Kurt did, which wouldn’t do at all. 

Blaine moved his hand up and down on Kurt’s length, running his thumb over the tip of his head; when that made Kurt moan and buck his hips, he kept going. There wasn’t any lubrication within reach for Blaine to make the handjob less rough, but Kurt, who was biting his lower lip, seemed to be enjoying the experience well enough. 

“You don’t need to hold yourself back for my sake, Blaine,” Kurt whispered with a smile. 

“How did you know that’s what I was doing?” 

Kurt smiled. “It’s just the type of man you are. You always think of others before yourself.” He leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead. “I trust you Blaine; you can do whatever you want to me.”

No better words could have been said to put Blaine at complete ease. Nodding to himself more than at Kurt, he let go of Kurt’s cock, dipped his head downwards and then, once he was close enough, took his tip into his mouth. Kurt shuddered and groaned from the act, but he remained still so Blaine could explore. Not trusting himself to fully take Kurt into his mouth yet, Blaine didn’t move any deeper down. Instead he licked and sucked the head of Kurt’s cock and then, when he thought Kurt was reaching his limits, he slowed it back down by letting his hand take over. 

Blaine was too curious not to give it another try once he felt it was safe, so he took Kurt into his mouth again, only a little deeper this time. When his gag reflex didn’t trigger he tried using his tongue to add a bit of suction. 

“Oh-my-god-Blaine,” Kurt said all in one breath, shuddering as the pleasure overtook him; it wouldn’t be much longer now. 

Good thing too, because Blaine was becoming painfully aware of his own erection. Switching back to his hand for the last stretch, Blaine straightened himself up until his free hand grabbed Kurt’s shoulder. Kurt in turn wrapped his hands around the base of Blaine’s neck, the strain of fighting to keep himself from coming too soon was painfully visible on his scrunched up face. Blaine wanted to hug him for his valiant efforts, but his hands (one in particular) were a little too busy for that to happen. Instead Blaine did his best to coax Kurt’s cock into reaching orgasm, pumping his hand up and down as they hungrily kissed one another. 

Then Kurt tore his mouth off Blaine’s so he could cry out his name at the critical moment, and it was all over. Well not exactly, Kurt’s orgasm might have been achieved, but there was plenty to be done still; starting with Blaine’s own physical needs, which he was sure Kurt would get to--hopefully sooner rather than later. 

“Wow, that was good,” Kurt said, letting out a giddy laugh. 

“Glad you enjoyed yourself.” Blaine stood back up. “Be right back.” He darted into his private bathroom to wash his hand off in the sink. Then he fetched a clean washcloth and ran it under some hot water. As he wrung it dry, Blaine got a sudden thought and grabbed the bottle of lotion next to the sink and hurried back to Kurt. 

He found Kurt reclining on the bed upon his return. 

“You think of everything,” Kurt said, taking the offered cloth so he could clean up. “Now I think it’s about time I took care of you, Blaine…” His eyes went down to Blaine’s groin and the erection he was still sporting. “I mean it’s the least I can do after how well you looked after me.” 

Grinning, Blaine watched Kurt crawl on his hands and knees towards him, stopping once he was hovering over him. Even though Blaine’s excited state hadn’t died down enough for it to be a problem, Kurt, it seemed, wasn’t taking any chances as he heavily made out with Blaine. While the experience was incredible, Blaine’s cock was feeling more than a little strained, but thankfully Kurt finally caught on to the fact when his hands brushed against Blaine’s crotch. 

“Why are you still wearing these?” Kurt grumbled, promptly yanking his boxer-briefs off of his hips and legs.

“And who’s fault is that?” 

Kurt didn’t bother to answer as he tossed Blaine’s underwear onto the floor. Just as Blaine had, he gave Blaine’s lower regions and good long linger. “Impressive.” 

“If you say so,” Blaine replied, smirking. 

There was no hint of hesitation on Kurt’s determined face as his hand slowly trailed down Blaine’s torso until they made it to his ready cock. Kurt was leaning over Blaine; their bodies only a couple of inches away from each other. 

He could hear, as well as feel, Kurt’s breath on his skin as he inhaled and exhaled. Was Kurt’s heart beating as fast as his own were? Blaine was tempted to reach out and see, but Kurt might get the same idea and that could be trouble. Thankfully, Kurt kept his hands clear away from both of Blaine’s hearts as he used his right hand to grasp Blaine’s erection. 

Kurt did a few teasing strokes and smirked at Blaine. “Now I know I could give you a hand job, or attempt a blow job like you did--which, don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed.” Kurt continued stroking Blaine’s cock, his face full of sexy mischief as he talked. “But I gotta admit I kinda want to try something different. If you’re okay with letting me--” 

“Kurt, I think it’s pretty clear that I’m up for whatever you have in mind,” Blaine said, bucking his hips right as he said the word ‘up’ to empathize. “But not for much longer at this rate…” 

“Right, right, sorry,” Kurt muttered. 

Whatever he had in mind seemed to mean letting go of Blaine’s cock, which wasn’t too appealing to Blaine, but then, before he could utter any words of protest, Kurt arched up his body and swung a leg over Blaine’s torso. All Blaine could do was watch as Kurt brought his left leg to rest against the other side of his hips. 

Kurt planted his arms on either side of Blaine’s shoulders and flashed him a wicked grin. Dipping his head down, he pressed his lips against Blaine’s, opening his mouth with his own as the kiss deepened. Things were going great; Blaine was really feeling it, but then, Kurt for some reason stopped to pull away from him. The reason for this, it turned out, was so Kurt could grab the bottle of lotion beside them on the bed. 

Oh, well nothing to worry about then. Thank heavens! Blaine didn’t think he could survive the wait for much longer--Kurt was far too sexy for his own good. 

Blaine clung to Kurt’s waist with his hands to help steady him as he pumped out enough lotion for whatever he had in store for them. The next thing that happened was a bit of a blur; one moment Blaine was anxiously waiting, and then Kurt’s shifted forward on his lap until their cocks were pressed together. Shuddering, Blaine focused on breathing as Kurt applied a generous amount of lotion to slick things up. Once Kurt seemed happy with the amount, he guided his body downwards until their cocks were perfectly aligned. 

“Doing all right?” Kurt asked, rocking his body slightly to get some friction going on. 

“Almost, just keep doing what you’re doing, Kurt.” Blaine grunted. “Only faster! Please, feel free to move. Kurt, wow I’m--.” It took a couple attempts to get his timing right, but when he finally did, Blaine let out a loud gasp. “Fuck! You’re doing great! You feel so good Kurt, really, _really_ good.” 

Picking up the pace, Kurt increased his thrusts until it was almost too much for Blaine to take; he was so close! 

“I had no idea frottage would feel this satisfying, Blaine,” Kurt said, laughing in delight at the discovery. 

Neither had Blaine, who was finding it very hard to keep himself from coming. Blast him and his two hearts; he was not enjoying the increase in blood flow right now. 

“Blaine, you can go ahead and come, I already have, remember?” 

Bless Kurt and his uncanny ability to read Blaine’s mind, or in this case, his body; the reminder was exactly what he needed to fully let go. As he raced towards release, Kurt wrapped his hand around both of their cocks to help them both along. The gesture ended up doing the trick and Blaine reached the desired peak of pleasure; heat coursed through his body as his orgasm shook through him, sending him fully over the edge. 

Throwing his head back, Blaine shouted out Kurt’s name (followed by a couple incoherent profanities) as he came. His senses blurred together as he fought to keep things going for Kurt’s sake, but thankfully his climax followed Blaine’s a moment later. As the sensations overtook him, Blaine watched Kurt’s hands dropped to his sides when the act was finally over. 

Good and spent (for the second time), Kurt barely managed to roll off of Blaine before he collapsed on the bed beside him. 

Blaine reached out to touch Kurt’s shoulder. “Doing all right there, Kurt?” 

“I’m fine, tired, but for all the right reasons,” Kurt muttered back, opening his eyes. Propping up on his side, he shuffled closer to Blaine, smiling as he rested his hand on Blaine’s chest. “You’re heart’s beating so fast, Blaine. I hope I didn’t tire you out too much.” 

The fact that Kurt had only put one hand on him made it possible for Blaine not to show any panic. On the inside he was another matter though; this could be bad, he needed to distract Kurt before he learned Blaine’s biggest secret. Blaine did the first thing that came to mind, which was giving him a tender kiss. The trick ended up working; Kurt’s hand moved to grasp the back of his neck as he kissed back. 

“I’m feeling fine too,” Blaine said, nibbling on his neck. “I’m feeling better than fine actually, I’m feeling wonderfully tired and sated, and it’s all thanks to you.” 

“You sure know how to flatter a guy, Blaine.” 

Blaine grinned but didn’t stop his attack on Kurt’s beckoning neck. Maybe keeping Kurt from learning about his second heart wouldn’t be so bad after-all. Encouraged by Kurt’s soft moans of pleasure, Blaine switched between kissing and sucking on Kurt’s neck to keep things interesting. Kurt seemed perfectly happy to let Blaine kiss and carry on wherever he pleased, though he did make a few bossy demands to give some attention to his lips now and then. Every request was happily given; this was a side Blaine had never shown anyone before, the side filled with sexual desires. 

Up until now, any urges he’d experienced before had been easy to deal with, but it was different with Kurt. Here was a man who pulled at Blaine like no one else ever had. Kurt was someone who could turn Blaine wild with a single sensual look, or make his body respond with the slightest contact. 

Kurt, who had been teasingly trailing his sides with his fingertips, suddenly upped the game by bringing his hand down to Blaine’s cock. 

“Fuck!” Blaine swore, caught off guard by the move. He wasn’t fully (or even half) hard yet, but he knew that could change in an instant. Especially if Kurt kept giving it his best effort, which he did of course and sure enough, Blaine’s cock responded to his touch. 

Did he have enough energy to go for another round though? Kurt was two for two versus his one, but it was pretty late and Kurt had to be getting tired by now. Should he just go for it and see what happened, or should he tell Kurt he could even the score in the morning? And didn’t they have a lot of talking to do still? 

Blaine’s inner conundrum was interrupted when Kurt pulled Blaine’s face down with his free hand so they could share a passionate kiss.

Kurt was not making this easy! 

“Blaine,” Kurt whispered, taking a break. “I still owe you another orgasm…” He nuzzled his lips against the side of Blaine’s neck. “Would you like to fuck me next?” 

Shocked by Kurt’s suggestion, Blaine shot up from the bed in alarm, which sent Kurt flying backwards in consequence. Instantly embarrassed by his extreme reaction, Blaine came crawling back towards him. “Forgive me for that Kurt, I wasn’t expecting you to ask me that.” 

“Clearly,” Kurt said in a flat voice.

Uh oh. That didn’t sound too good to Blaine. “Come here.” Wrapping his arms around Kurt’s shoulder, he kissed the dip between his neck and shoulders. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d love nothing more than to fuck you…” His cheeks were red and flushed; Blaine hated to think how badly he was blushing right now. “But I’m hardly prepared. I don’t have any condoms, or lube for that matter.” 

Kurt crumbled in Blaine’s arms as if he had lost his will to live. “What am I doing!” A horrified expression spread across his face. “I dunno why I even said that!” 

“I can harbour a reason why,” Blaine offered in a flirty voice.

Blushing even more than Blaine, Kurt threw himself down on the bed and grabbed a pillow to hide his shame (and apparently his face as well). “I used to feel like a baby penguin when it came to sex; I refused to know anything about it, and yet here I am practically begging you to fuck me!” 

“Kurt, you need to calm down.” Blaine gently took hold of the pillow he was still hiding behind. “And you need to stop hiding your gorgeous face from me.” 

Kurt peeked at him with one eye. “I’m being serious Blaine, I’m scared by how careless and rash I was acting.” 

“Well I’m not,” Blaine retorted, plucking the pillow from Kurt and tossing back to its original spot. “You simply got swept up in the moment; I could have easily done the same thing.” 

“But you didn’t.” 

“No I didn’t,” Blaine said. “I do want to try everything with you, anal sex included, but I don’t think we’re ready for that level of intimacy yet.” 

Kurt nodded in agreement. “I don’t want to be reckless with sex, not with you, Blaine; I want it to matter. I want it to be more than just the physical for us…” He let out a heavy sigh and rested his head on Blaine’s bare shoulder. “I still feel mortified over jumping the gun like that, but it did knock some sense into us at least.” 

“Who knows when we would have stopped ourselves with the way we were going.” Looking back on it all now, Blaine knew they had already done more than enough--and all before any sort of boundaries had been set. “I think it’s safe to say that neither of us were thinking with our brains when we jumped into bed together tonight.” 

“I don’t regret it though, any of it,” Kurt said. 

“Neither do I.” Blaine hugged his waist. 

“I hate to say it, but I think we should take a step back and give ourselves a chance to think on our own before we do anything else.” Kurt sighed. “I don’t want to make a bad call and ruin what we have before we’ve had a chance to talk about what we even want from each other.” 

Blaine felt like the wind had been knocked out from him. “Wait, do you think that us having sex so suddenly was a mistake?” 

“ _No_ ,” Kurt said without hesitation. “I’m glad we got to share the experience together, and I’m so thankful that my first kiss--and my first sexual encounter--was with you. If it had been anyone else I would have bolted out of bed, thrown my pants on, and ran out the door.” Kurt smiled up at Blaine. “But because it was with you, and because I care about you so much, I’m still here. All I’m asking is to give us a bit of breathing room to think things through better, so that the next time we find ourselves in this situation, we’ll save ourselves from any future embarrassments.” 

It still felt wrong for Blaine to let Kurt leave without offering him any kind of reassurance. “I’ll agree to taking a breather, but on one condition.” 

“Anything,” Kurt replied, turning to face him directly. 

Blaine laid his hands on Kurt’s shoulders. “That we both acknowledge that we want to move forward with our relationship. That just because we’re not ready to define it just yet doesn’t mean that we don’t care deeply about one another. “ He felt tears welling up in his eyes and he fought the urge to cry. “I need you to know that I’m not going to shy away and change my mind; I want to be with you.” 

“I want to be with you too, Blaine. I promise I’m not going anywhere okay? And I promise I’ll call you first thing in the morning.” 

“Can I drive you home at least?” 

“Of course you can.” Kurt put Blaine further at ease by kissing him softly on the lips. “Will you lend me something to wear? Our clothes are still soaked.” 

“My wardrobe is yours for the taking, Kurt.” 

The invitation given, Kurt rose from the bed and went over to Blaine’s dresser, going through his shirts before finally selecting. In the end, he chose one of Blaine’s many polo shirts (this one being white with a navy and red trim) and one of his more looser fitting chino navy pants. He borrowed a pair of boxer briefs from the top drawer, but he didn’t want to put them on until he made a quick detour to the bathroom first. 

“I’m gonna rinse myself off in the shower quickly,” Kurt called to him before turning the water on. 

Blaine picked out something for him to wear during the wait. A short while later Kurt reappeared wearing his lended pair of boxer-briefs. They shared a shy smile before Blaine pushed past the awkward moment so he could manage to kiss Kurt without blushing too much. When they were done, the pair chuckled at their own sheepishness, but the tension in the room had thankfully lessened. 

“Are you sure you’re okay with us not fully defining what we are to each other yet?” Kurt asked when Blaine came out of the bathroom after having his own shower. 

“I’m trying not to worry about it.” Blaine was touched that Kurt had picked up on his unease enough to bridge the delicate subject. “The reasons I have for avoiding dating are still there; the difference now is I’m willing to meet them head on if it means you and I can be together.” 

“All right then. I trust you, Blaine. We’ll talk in the morning.” 

The pair left for Carlyle Lodge once they were dressed and ready to go; the drive was a little awkward, but that was to be expected. Passing the trip with idle chatter didn’t feel right to Blaine, so he simply allowed the silence to happen. At least Kurt didn’t seem overly uncomfortable, if anything, he looked remarkably at ease as he reclined in the passenger seat. 

Blaine reached for Kurt’s hand once they were out of the vehicle so they could walk to the front door together. Thank goodness it wasn’t raining anymore. “I’m not sure what the social guidelines for this sort of scenario would be… should I give you a kiss goodbye?” 

“I don’t think there are any set rules, Blaine,” Kurt said, smiling. “Come here, there’s no way I’m letting you go without a kiss.” Touching his shoulders, Kurt leaned in and kissed Blaine without any hesitation. The caress was more tender than urgent, but it suited their current mood perfectly. 

Blaine allowed an indulgent moment savouring the sensation before pulling away. “I’ll call you the second I wake up.” 

“Maybe text me first; we both know what an early riser you are.” 

“Will do.” 

Kurt’s playful comment had lightened the mood enough for Blaine to force himself to leave. It still took a long time for him to make it to the curb where his car was parked, especially since Kurt hadn’t gone inside and was watching him from the front door. 

“I’ll call you,” Blaine said, giving one final wave before he climbed into his car. He couldn’t bring himself to start the engine until Kurt finally went inside. 

Safely out of view, he buried his hands in his face. “What am I even supposed to do now?”   
___________________________________________________________________________

When Blaine made it to his flat, he found something that would have been very out of place for most people, except Blaine wasn’t most people. So the sight of a blue police box sitting on the lawn beside his parking spot wouldn’t have been surprising at all if it was normal daytime hours. But since it was just past one in the morning, Blaine frowned in confusion; it couldn’t be anything bad or else his dad would have contacted him. 

Blaine approached the Tardis, immediately noticing the paper note stuck on the doors and smiled with relief. 

_I was in need of a parking spot and I knew you wouldn't mind._  
Just popped out to run a few errands, feel free to wait inside for me.  
I get the feeling you need a good place to think and recollect. 

_Love, Dad._

“How did he know?” This wasn’t the first time one of his parents had magically shown up when their son needed them. 

Just as his father had written, Blaine could use a good place to think and recollect, and inside the Tardis was the perfect place for the task. Bringing out his key, Blaine opened up the doors and stepped inside. The soothing humming he had grown up listening to greeted him and Blaine felt the tension that had been weighing him down begin to drain from his body. 

The first thing Blaine noticed when he closed the doors behind him was that the Tardis’s interior looked completely different. While the Doctor was known to have sudden whimsical moments, he had always been stubborn about changing the desktop setting of his beloved Tardis. It had always looked the same ever since Blaine had been born in fact, so why had his dad changed it now of all times? 

Blaine silently walked around the console room, noting the different metal finishes, switches, buttons and lights as he went. Almost nothing was the same; even the stairs to the lower floor was in a different place. The thing that caught his attention the most was half of the console area lacked a railway of any sort. A quick sweep of the immediate area showed the reason why; two swings hung inconspicuously from the ceiling. These weren’t your average playground swings either, each were heavily reinforced with futuristic looking materials. The lack of railing made it so there was plenty of room to stretch one's legs and have a really good swing. 

The temptation too strong for Blaine to resist, he went over to the one on the left and took a seat. He pushed off the ground with his feet and swung forward and pumped his legs in motion when he came back to the same spot. Soon he got a good rhythm going as he swung back and forth, closing his eyes as he let the swaying motion (along with the murmur of the Tardis’s engines) relax his busy mind. 

Blaine didn’t actually want to forget about Kurt and the decisions he needed to make about their pending relationship. He wanted them to date and be fully committed boyfriends. He knew that Kurt wanted the same thing. But what Kurt didn’t know was that unlike the lyrics of ‘Might Tell You Tonight’, Blaine wouldn’t be able to spend all of his life with Kurt. 

The issue he was facing wasn’t whether or not he wanted to be with Kurt, what had him hesitating was if it would be enough in the end. If and when they reached the point where Blaine would reveal his true heritage, how would Kurt take the news? Blaine liked to think he would be surprised but say that he wanted to be with him no matter what. What would happen when Blaine stopped ageing though? There was just no way of knowing for sure if their many differences could become an issue. 

Blaine slowed down his leg movements until he stopped swinging altogether. He brought out his phone once his feet touched the ground. Countless text message and missed calls popped up on his lock screen. 

“Way to be subtle, guys,” He said, sighing. A quick glance at them showed none were from Kurt, which was a relief, and he put his phone away. Blaine wasn’t going to talk to any of his friends before he and Kurt saw each other. 

The doors to the Tardis suddenly swung open and the Doctor, who was splendidly dressed in a black tuxedo and matching top had, strolled in whistling merrily away. 

“There you are, Dad,” Blaine said as he started to swing again. “I was wondering when you’d appear.” 

“Good to see you too, Son,” the Doctor replied, hanging his top hat and cane on the coat rack before joining Blaine at the swings. Once there, his dad wasted no time in matching his son’s pace by using his long legs. 

“What’s with the fancy get up?” 

“Am I not allowed to dress up every now and then?” 

Blaine didn’t know why his dad was being so elusive, but he doubted it was because of anything serious. For one thing, the Doctor looked completely relaxed and cheerful as ever as he swung back and forth like a happy child. 

“So swings huh? What brought you to change the desktop theme after all this time?” 

The Doctor grinned. “I’ve been told that a little spontaneity is a good thing.” 

“I hope that’s true, because I may have done something more than a little spontaneous myself tonight…” Blaine smirked, blushing. “... and I wasn’t alone.” 

The first thing the Doctor did was beam back at his son. “That’s my boy.” 

“Dad, no, please don’t go there.” Blaine had no idea what was going on with his dad that had him acting so cheeky, and he was pretty sure he didn’t want know. 

“So tell me what happened. I take it the person you were being spontaneous with was Kurt?” 

Blaine nodded. “Yeah, it was. We confessed our feelings for one another… and one thing led to another and we kissed, and kept on kissing.” He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled. “And uh, we kept kissing and carrying on once we got back to my flat and we let things go a bit too far too fast.” 

The Doctor eyed his son; he was obviously unsure if he should ask Blaine exactly how far they had gone. 

“We didn’t go all the way though; we stopped ourselves before we could regret anything--at least not seriously anyway.” Blaine swore he saw his dad let out a quick breath of relief at the news. “But we still felt that we needed to take a step back and reflect our slightly hasty actions before we talk about what step we want to take next.” 

“I take it you agreed with that decision since you’re here swinging with me?” 

“At the time I did… but now I find myself trapped between a rock and a hard place. I want to be with him dad, but there’s a big part of me that’s afraid that whatever I can offer him won’t be enough.” 

Leaning forward in his swing, the Doctor rested his chin on his hand as he pondered what he should say in response. Blaine was used to his dad having all of the answers, so seeing the uncertainty on his face was new. “Do you love him?” 

“I think so, or I’m in the process of falling fully in love with him at the very least.” Blaine had never been in love before so he couldn’t say which of the two it was for sure. “Whenever I see him the world gets brighter, and when we’re not together he’s always on my mind. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.” Blaine tightened his grip on the chains on either side of him. “When I’m with him… the world doesn’t feel so daunting anymore…” 

The Doctor gave Blaine a knowing smile. “I know exactly what you mean, Blaine; there was a time when I had love and lost it--more than once--and I thought I would never love again after the pain of losing someone I cared about brought me. I told myself that it was safer to be alone, so I avoided any kind of romantic attachment for the longest time.” 

“What changed for you?” 

“Your mother did, although not at first, which given the strange and chaotic circumstances of us meeting, should be understandable. At the start I didn’t like the idea of her knowing more about me--and about who we would be to each other--than I did. It unnerved me, and while I would have denied it at the time, I was afraid of letting her into my hearts. Any yet River managed to capture both of them, and before long I found myself transfixed by her beautiful spirit, her spunk, and how addictive it was to flirt with her.”

A warm smile spread across the Doctor’s face. “I was content to meet her in the wrong order for a time… but then, after I lost Amy and Rory, that all changed. River was there with me when it happened…” He looked around the interior of the Tardis. “We were here in the Tardis… I was in the utter pit of loss and despair and River, she just smiled at me, even when she was going through her own inner pain. In that moment, I knew I loved her more than anything in the entire cosmos. She must have seen how badly I needed her, because when I asked her to stay with me, she said yes.” 

Out of all the times Blaine had heard the tale, he had never seen his dad so emotionally effected before.

“Looking back on your life since then, do you think you made the right choice?” Blaine asked. 

The Doctor’s soft expression darkened all of a sudden. “I’d like to think so.” 

“Dad, are you okay?” 

“Of course I’m okay,” the Doctor insisted, wiping away the tears that had formed in his eyes. “I’m always okay…” 

Blaine remembered his mum’s comments about how the first thing one needed to know about the Doctor was that he always lied. Watching him now as he tried to shrug off his vulnerable state as nothing, Blaine had to agree with her assessment. His dad was clearly hiding something from him. As much as he wanted to try to coax the truth from him, Blaine knew it would take more effort than he could manage right now. 

“But going back to you and the romantic conundrum you’re in Son, I think what you should keep in mind is that just because Timelords can live for centuries doesn’t mean we get the better deal.” 

“Sorry I’m not following you.” 

“When Kurt’s life comes to an end, hopefully well into his hundreds, he’ll get to die knowing that the love of his life will get to live on.” 

“I never thought of it that way,” Blaine admitted.

The Doctor gave his son a sheepish smile. “I know it’s not the most uplifting thought, and I’d rather you didn’t think about such things too deeply, Blaine. I’d prefer you keep your mind in the present where it should be. Focus on letting Kurt into your hearts first and experience the wonders of being in love for as long as possible. You already know your mother and I are fine with you telling Kurt the truth about us when you feel you’re both ready for that step.” 

“Thanks, Dad.” Blaine reached out to take his hand. “You’ve proven once again how there’s a wise old soul hidden behind your youthful exterior.” 

“River says I’ll always be young at heart, no matter how old I’ll look.” 

“So you think I should go for it and be with Kurt?” 

“I’m not saying that,” his dad replied, squeezing his hand before he jumped off of his swing with a push of his legs. Now standing in front of him, a knowing grin spread across the Doctor’s face. “What I’ve been trying to say is that in the end no one can make up your mind for you but yourself. Although if you want my opinion on the matter… you’ve spent most of your life singing trendy love songs, so I had hoped you would have learned something from them by now.” 

Rolling his eyes, Blaine followed his father’s lead by jumping off of his swung, though he didn’t land quite as gracefully. He brought his arms forward to sweep the Doctor up in a big hug, and his dad hugged him back with loving fierceness. 

“It’s time for you to seize the moment Blaine, carpe diem if it were,” the Doctor said, letting go of Blaine so he could push him towards the front doors. “You can hang out with your old man once you and Kurt sort things out together.” 

“Thanks dad, I think I will.” He paused at the door to hug him again. “I’d better go before I run out of time. Make sure you tell mum you’ve outdone yourself with the dad advice tonight.” 

“You can thank me by remembering to invite me to the wedding,” the Doctor teased, which made Blaine roll his eyes again with a loud groan. Blaine had just walked through the open doors of Tardis when his dad reached out to touch his arm to stop him. “Wait there, there’s something that I’d nearly forgotten to give you.” The Doctor reached inside his jacket pocket as Blaine flashed him a puzzled look. The item in his hand was none other than his psychic paper, which he handed over willingly to his son. “Take it, you’ve earn the right to use it.” 

Beaming with joy, Blaine took his father’s gift. “Thank you so much dad, I owe you one and I’ll promise to be careful with it until it’s back in your hands again.” 

“There’s no need to return it, I have another already,” the Doctor said, smiling softly. 

“Wow, I don’t know what to say except thank you.” 

The Doctor waved off his son’s sentiment and shooed him away, waving as Blaine darted back towards his car and drove off to go see Kurt. Once he was out of sight, the Doctor quietly slipped back inside of the Tardis. He glided over to the control panel and absentmindedly flipped a few switches and turned the big switch that made the engine whirl to life. The familiar sounds of the Tardis dematerializing filled the spacious room as the Doctor went over to one of the back corners where a makeshift bookshelf was. 

He picked up the framed photo of River off of the top shelf and smiled at his wife’s image. “I managed to stick to the plan and give the psychic paper to him just like I promised I would, Dear.” 

A single tear ran down his cheek as he caressed her image with his finger. “I hated hiding the truth from him like that, but he isn’t ready to know that even you and I can’t run from our destinies forever…”  
___________________________________________________________________________

Blaine knew there was a good chance that Kurt could be asleep right now, and yet he couldn’t stop himself from rushing back to Carlyle Lodge. He knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep without seeing him, now he just hoped the same was true for Kurt. Blaine hurried over to the front door of the Lodge and brought out his phone to send Kurt a text message. 

_Are you still awake? I’m down at the door._

Why did time seem to stand still whenever Blaine had to wait for something important. But before he was put through anymore agony, the front door suddenly swung open to reveal a startled Kurt. 

“Blaine? What are you doing here?” Kurt hadn’t changed out of Blaine’s clothes yet. 

“I know we agreed to wait until we’d slept on it, but I couldn’t wait. I had to see you.” 

Kurt seemed to be torn between standing his ground and rushing into Blaine’s awaiting arms. “What about us needing time to think?” 

“I did that already, and I think we both know that no matter how much time we gave each other the results would be the same. So I figured I’d save us the trouble and say what’s in my heart right here and now.” 

The small bit of cover the front door gave wasn’t enough to keep Blaine’s back from getting rained on. The rain was back--it wasn’t pouring as hard as it was before so he hardly minded it, but Kurt seemed concerned enough to pull him inside.

“What is your heart telling you, Blaine?” 

“I’m going to do what I do best and say it with a song.” Humming the melody, Blaine sang, “I want to tell you tonight…” He paused for romantic effect, hoping he wouldn’t blow this up. “I want to say it tonight… I want to tell you tonight…” Blaine’s hands found their way to clasp Kurt’s smiling face. “That I love you…” He couldn’t bring himself to sing the final lines of the song, but they weren’t needed. “Kurt, I love you.” 

“I love you too, Blaine,” Kurt answered with fluttering eyes. 

The two smitten young men gazed at one another for less than a second before coming together for a tender kiss.

“I love you Kurt, I’m through with running away from my feelings. I want us to be boyfriends.” Blaine captured Kurt’s hand to kiss the back of it. “I want us to go on dates and hold hands in public and do all of the things other couples do.” 

“As usual Blaine, we are of one mind.” Kurt planted a teasing kiss on Blaine’s lips. “Come on, you can join me in my room.” 

Blaine happily followed Kurt over to the stairs that led to the dorm rooms. “All right, but I warn you, I’m not the put out on the first night kind of guy.” 

“Thank god,” Kurt said, yawning. “Because all I want to do once we climb into bed together is go to sleep.” 

“Kurt, that is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me.” 

Shaking his head at Blaine’s silly act, Kurt pushed him by the shoulders towards the stairs so he could finally get his much wanted beautyrest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those who haven't seen Doctor Who, the scene with Blaine and the Doctor in the Tardis might seem odd, or people might not be aware of the scene's significance. I wasn't sure if I should spell it out here. But to give more of a hint, the Doctor and River have been meeting in the opposite order. In the show (and in the canon of this fic) the first time the Doctor (when he was 10) met River was River's last time seeing him (well, kinda of). So when River and the Doctor decided to settle down and raise their son, they made a deal with one another. They'd enjoy their time to together, but then eventually, a day would come where they would have to stop running from their destiny. They would have go back to meeting in different order and no longer being with each other all the time. 
> 
> The scene should hopefully make a little more sense but I won't fully explain it until a future chapter references it. ;) So stay tuned. Though it's not a big plot point fyi.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

“Kurt. Kurt, wake up,” Blaine's soft voice trailed to Kurt's ears, waking him from his slumber.

Yawning more than grumbling, Kurt tightened his arms around Blaine’s waist and closed his eyes again. There wasn’t a lot of room on his single bed; they were pressed together with Kurt as the big spoon. The cramped quarters had taken some getting used to, but after a bit of shuffling, both boys managed to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. 

“Wake up, Kurt,” Blaine called again.

“Why? It’s Sunday.” 

Blaine tried to free himself, but Kurt tightened his grip, gently kissing the back of his neck to will him to keep still. “Kurt, we are not alone…” 

At the sound of Blaine’s ominous warning, Kurt’s eyes snapped open and he craned his head upwards to see what his boyfriend meant. When he caught sight of Quinn and Santana standing at the open doorway his eyes narrowed with visible distaste. So much for his lazy morning cuddling in bed with Blaine. “Hello there ladies, what brings you two to this neck of the woods?” 

“Did you really think you’d escape us by coming here instead of Blaine’s place?” Santana asked with her arms crossed over her chest. 

“Actually no, all we were thinking when we came here was how we wanted to get a good night’s sleep. Believe me when I say that you were the _furthest_ thing from our minds, Santana.” Kurt was enjoying the chance to let his snarky side out. He should use it whenever he had to deal with Santana from now on. 

“So that’s what you’re going with? Are you saying that nothing noteworthy happened in this room last night?” Quinn questioned.

Kurt would have shrugged, but he was still holding onto Blaine, who kept making cute snickering sounds as he fought to keep from full out laughing. “You’ll forgive us if we don’t feel too inclined to share any details.” 

“You’ll find that tends to happen when you sneak into someone’s room when they’re sleeping,” added Blaine with a cheeky grin. 

Instead of hiding their amusement, both boys continued to grin at their unexpected guests like the silly in love fools they were. Kurt hadn’t bothered to tell anyone about the love part, and he had no real plans to--at least not yet. Quinn and Santana could stare at them with those demanding expressions on their faces all they wanted. Although, now that he thought about it, Kurt didn’t want them sticking around long enough to become an awkward third and fourth wheel. 

“If you two ladies don’t mind, Blaine and I would prefer to enjoy the morning on _our own_ ,” Kurt said in an icy voice. 

Kurt had half a mind to hide behind Blaine until they got bored and left, but that would hardly be fair to him (Blaine would be too polite to ask them to go). Realizing that neither woman was going to go without getting the confirmation they were obviously waiting for, Kurt let out a heavy sigh. 

“All we did was sleep,” Kurt said.

“--here anyway,” added Blaine; the cheeky devil, he had to go there. Oh well, that was one way to let the truth out. 

“I was getting to that, Blaine.” Since Blaine couldn’t see him smirk, he gave his boyfriend’s waist a loving squeeze to show he wasn’t miffed. 

Since it didn’t seem likely that Kurt would be able to go back to sleep anytime soon, he decided to get in a more comfortable position. He still wasn’t happy about his first morning with Blaine being interrupted, but he’d live. There would be countless days ahead to make up for today’s misfortune, and it wasn’t as if he and Blaine had anything to hide. 

Kurt whispered in Blaine’s ear that he wanted to sit up before reluctantly letting go of his boyfriend’s waist. That fact that they had company didn’t mean that he was going to leave him alone though--far from it. Resting his back against the wall, he beckoned Blaine to lean on his chest; once he caught on, Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine’s shoulders. 

“What do you want to know, ladies?” Blaine asked once they were both settled. “We might not answer every question, but you never know.” 

“Why don’t you start from when you guys left the party and we’ll tell you when to stop,” Santana suggested in her usual invasive way. 

“I think we can manage that, if only to get you out of our hair.” Blaine said, grinning as he looked up at Kurt, who nodded in agreement. “As you both know, Kurt and I left Sam’s birthday party drenched from the sudden rainstorm after finally confessing our feelings for one another.” 

Santana waved an impatient hand. “Yeah, yeah, we were both there for that part, quit stalling and get to the good stuff already.”

“Keep interrupting him, and all you’ll get is a good boot out the door,” Kurt warned. 

“As I was saying, Kurt and I headed back to my flat next and…” Blaine had to be blushing; he’d probably be rubbing the back of his neck if Kurt weren’t in the way. Kurt found Blaine’s hesitance over sharing what had exactly happened between them very sweet, and exactly like him. 

This was Kurt’s cue to take over. “We got out of our wet clothes and certain _things_ took place, which, before you ask, were physical in nature, but so help me Santana if you ask what or who exactly ‘went down’ I will go into your room and replace all of your clothes with cheap knock-offs from the seediest thrift stores I can find.” 

“What I’d like to know is how you two ended up here if you went to Blaine’s apartment after the party,” Quinn asked before Santana could retaliate.

“Oh, good point there, Quinn.” Santana’s hands had moved to rest on her hips. “So what’s the deal with that?” 

“Maybe we did it to try to avoid you lot,” Blaine offered. 

Smirking, Kurt loosened his arms around Blaine slightly. “Blaine’s being kind for my sake; the real reason why we ended up at my dorm is because I got a bit… hasty, and let’s just say that it made us realize we should slow it down a bit.”

“Basically we decided to take a breather and talk in the morning.” Blaine spread out his arms and grinned. “But not before offering some assurances first.” 

Santana eyed the couple suspiciously. “Obviously that plan didn’t work out since you ended up spooning together.” 

“Yes well, I did drop Kurt off at home, and I did think on my own for a good long while…”

What had exactly transpired with Blaine after they had parted ways was something Kurt was just as curious to hear about as the girls were. At the time, Kurt had been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to consider what had caused Blaine to change his mind. That hour away from each other had gone by so quickly. One minute Kurt was staring up at his ceiling contemplating his options, and the next Blaine had sent him a text saying he was waiting downstairs.

“I thought I would need all night to sort through my many thoughts, but I was wrong. It took about an hour for me to finally realize that I knew what I wanted and I didn’t want to wait till morning to tell Kurt,” Blaine explained. 

“There I was, trying my best to go to sleep and failing miserably when Blaine texted me out of the blue that he needed to see me. So I rushed downstairs, opened the front door and found him standing there smiling at me like a lovesick puppy.” 

Blaine leaned forward so he could put his hand against his forehead. Kurt could just see the bashful grin spread across his face and smiled. Gosh he was adorable! 

“Did I?” Blaine blushed. “It would make sense, considering what happened next...” 

“Blaine, being the romantic gentleman he is, actually used lyrics from a song--which he sang--to say that he loved me.” Oops. So much for keeping that detail a secret. Oh well.

Santana’s mouth fell open. “No bloody way!” 

“Why are you so surprised to hear that?” Blaine demanded, frowning. 

“Because you gotta admit it’s a big move for someone who had been dragging his heels when it came to his feelings for Kurt.” 

Kurt glared at Santana with dagger eyes. “I wasn’t any better than him remember, but that’s all in the past. Now back to our romantic story, which we are telling you out of the kindness of our hearts. Blaine’s sudden confession left me dumbstruck, but I did manage to recover quickly enough to say ‘I love you’ back.” 

“I’m sure you probably think we were overcompensating a bit by confessing our love for each other so quickly,” Blaine began, eying both women with a playful smile. 

Quinn’s stoic expression didn’t waver. “I wouldn’t have worded it like that exactly.” 

“It felt like the natural thing to do, and as you can see…” Blaine beamed as Kurt hugged his shoulders with his arms. “Neither of us are in any position to complain.” 

While the chance to flaunt their new-found love was fun, Kurt knew that he and Blaine should talk about their relationship, but not before taking care of their unwanted guests. Whispering his wishes in Blaine’s ear, his boyfriend quickly put his plans in action by bouncing off the bed with amazing grace. 

Pouncing before either woman could react, Blaine hastily took Quinn and Santana by the arms and led them out of the room. 

“Hey, what gives?” Santana demanded when Blaine finally released them. 

“As much as it pains me to do this...” Boy that was a lie, and the delight in his voice made it quite clear to everyone there. “You’ll have to excuse us. Kurt and I would prefer to have a _peaceful_ afternoon _alone_.” Blaine paused long enough to flash a sheepish smile as he closed the door on them good and shut. 

“Fine! Go ahead kick us out so you two can shag to your heart’s content then!” Santana’s voice was loud enough for everyone on the floor to hear, which she had clearly done on purpose. 

“She’s insufferable,” Kurt said, groaning. 

“Yes, but she’s safely on the other side of the door now.” 

Kurt watched Blaine with interest as he sauntered back to the bed, his eyes brimming with sensual undertones the whole way. Soon Blaine was within his reach again and leaning in close for a long (and much enjoyed) good morning kiss. Closing his eyes, Kurt let the sensation of Blaine’s lips against his own wash over him. It was only a day into their relationship and Kurt couldn’t get enough of this. All he wanted to do was spend a lazy afternoon making out with Blaine on the bed. 

But if last night had taught him anything, it was that patience is a virtue. 

Kurt draped his arms on Blaine’s shoulders and smiled lightly. “I guess it’s time we had that talk now.” 

“I think it’s for the best, but it’s not like talking about our relationship is a bad thing,” Blaine offered, pecking him on the lips. “We already know that we love one another and want to be together, so that just leaves the matter of boundaries and whatnot to go over.” 

“Must we?” muttered Kurt, who gave Blaine his best sexy pout. 

Chuckling, Blaine nuzzled his lips against Kurt’s neck for an indulgent moment, finishing with a quick kiss before he pulled back to a safer distance. “Patience, love, you can have your way with me soon enough…” 

Kurt was about to ask what Blaine meant when he heard rustling from behind the door. Eyes narrowing, he gave his boyfriend’s knee a quick pat before getting up off the bed to investigate. It might just be one of the Lodge’s tenants walking by, but Kurt didn’t want to take any chances--not when Santana could be lurking around. 

“Um Kurt, what are you doing?” Blaine asked. 

“Shh!” Kurt hissed, pressing his ear to the door. “I’m checking for eavesdroppers.” 

“Do you honestly think someone would have nothing better to do than listen in on us ?” 

“If by someone you mean Santana, then I wouldn’t put it past her.” Kurt couldn’t hear any signs of her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t there. Not wanting to open the door to find out, Kurt went over to his desk and turned on his alarm clock/music docking port. He brought out his iPod that held most of his music and selected one of his favourite playlists. After plugging it in and turning it on, Kurt smiled when the first song began. “There, problem solved.” 

“That’s my clever boyfriend.” 

Kurt’s stomach fluttered as did his eyes. “That was the first time you called me your boyfriend, Blaine.” 

“Was it? That doesn’t seem right to me.” Reaching out with his arms, Blaine pulled Kurt back onto the bed by the waist. He spent an indulgent interlude nibbling on his new boyfriend’s neck until he began to squirm with pleasure. “That is what I want, in case it wasn’t clear. I want us to date--exclusively--as boyfriends in a fully committed relationship.” 

“I want that too, if it wasn’t already obvious,” Kurt said in a cute voice. “I don’t think I’m really cut out for casual relationships.” At least not when Blaine Anderson was involved anyway. 

The smile Blaine gave him as he pulled back to gaze into his eyes was full of warmth and affection. “I’m the same way.” 

“Looks like we’re totally compatible then,” Kurt said, sealing his affections with a tender kiss. 

Unsurprisingly, that first kiss led to many more, and it wasn’t long before Kurt found himself half lying on Blaine as they lazily locked lips. Now this was the way to spend a morning: basking in his boyfriend’s love without any meddlesome friends to interrupted them. Sighing with content, Kurt ran his hands through Blaine’s hair, tangling his fingers in his curls. Why hadn’t they gotten together sooner? All of this time they could have spent making out instead of making eyes at one another. 

The answer pushed its way to the surface of Kurt’s mind, wedging in until it was impossible to put aside. _Blaine told you he was avoiding relationships. He said he was no good at romance and didn’t want to screw things up._ Try as he might, Kurt couldn’t stop thinking about what his real reasons could be, because it was quite clear that Blaine was great at romance, if the past week was anything to go by. So what else could it be? 

Lost in thought, Kurt began to lose track of what he was doing and whom with, which Blaine eventually caught on to. 

“Kurt?” Blaine asked in a firm voice, and judging by his slightly concerned expression, it wasn’t for the first time. 

“Sorry.” What was he doing? Burt’s words echoed in his brain. _‘Keep your head in the game, Hummel.’_ Except Kurt wasn’t playing sports, but the saying still did the trick when it came to chasing his nerves away. 

Blaine smirked. “Don’t tell me I’m boring you already?”

“No, not at all.” Kurt sighed; it was time to fess up. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you. I didn’t mean to think about it now, but it popped into my head and well…” 

Blaine touched the side of Kurt’s face and smiled. “Ask me Kurt, I never want you to be afraid to tell me how you feel.” 

“Back when we had our first heart-to-heart, after acknowledging there might be something between us, you told me you had reasons for choosing not to date anyone. I really tried not to think too much about it and respect your privacy, but as time passed and I got to know you better… my curiosity kept getting bigger and bigger. I started wondering if there was more to it than what you’d told me.” 

Daring a glance at Blaine, Kurt swore he saw surprise mixed with worry across his fretted brows. The reaction, however fleeting, was enough to confirm Kurt’s suspicions, and make him regret not waiting for a better time to bring the matter up. 

Blaine’s keen senses immediately picked up on Kurt’s unease, although anyone would have noticed the way he kept nervously darting his eyes back and forth. His refusal to make regular eye contact was another, as was the way he kept fidgeting with his hands. Seeing Kurt in this state made it easier to calm his own nerves and try to comfort the love of his life. But how? What could he even say...

“I’m sorry to spring this on you, Blaine…” 

He shook his head, stopping the unneeded apology before Kurt could go any further. “Don’t be, I’m glad you told me, Kurt.” And he was, even if it put him in a difficult position. 

This was the exact scenario Blaine had been dreading. As much as Blaine trusted Kurt and wanted to tell him everything, he knew it was much too soon for that step. The moment would come, he was sure of that--in the meantime, all he could do was add as much truth as possible and hope it would be enough. _‘Here goes.’_

Blaine reached out to take hold of Kurt’s hand, lacing their fingers together before going on. “I’m sorry for my vague answers back then Kurt. I should have realized how not hearing the full story would make you worry. I’ll try to make it up to you by doing my best at explaining it all to you now.” 

Why hadn’t he thought of a better story by this point? He should have asked his parents to help him. They would have known exactly what to say. Blaine took a deep breath. _‘You can do this, Blaine.’_

“One of the biggest reasons why I’ve avoided dating is because I planned to go travelling with my parents as soon as I graduated college. I don’t mean for just the summer either; it might be for months, or even years…” In his head he added, _‘Or decades.’_ After-all, Rory and Amy had spent ten years travelling with the Doctor before they had begun to miss their regular lives back on earth.

Should he be worried that Kurt wasn’t giving him any sort of reaction? He was just sitting there quietly watching Blaine, who was still holding his hand. 

“Other than that…” What else could he add? Blaine’s mind was coming up blank. “I’ve never been the type of man who likes to start something when they know they won’t be able to finish it.” Had Kurt moved an inch since he had begun his awkward explanation? It sure didn’t seem like it to Blaine. This wasn’t good. “I know that sounds ridiculous.” Was he blushing? He had to be. Blaine wished he could kiss Kurt and forget the whole thing, but even someone as clueless about romance as he was knew that would be a bad idea. 

Kurt seemed to be doing to his best to keep his expression as neutral as possible, which honestly only made Blaine feel more flustered. 

“I guess at the time I thought it was better to avoid relationships altogether rather than having to face the idea of saying goodbye to someone I cared about.” Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “I was silly enough to think that if I didn’t go out of my way to look for a boyfriend then I would be safe.” In Blaine’s defense, that _silly_ plan had worked for secondary school. 

Blaine paused to flash Kurt a flirtatious smile. “What I hadn’t counted on was someone as incredible as you shaking up my entire world.” 

Aside from a few key details, such as his alien heritage and time travelling parents, Blaine was pleased he’d managed to keep from lying outright. He had simply withheld a number of truths so he could remain as honest as possible. 

After what seemed like ages, Kurt finally blinked back into awareness and asked, “Is that all?” 

“Basically yes,” Blaine answered. “You don’t need to say how mental I was, because I’m well aware of the fact already.” 

That remark got a small smile out of Kurt, which was a good sign. “I don’t think you were mental, a little daft maybe but aren’t we all in some capacity?”

Beaming, Blaine gave Kurt’s hand a loving squeeze. “Obviously those reasons no longer apply. I love you, Kurt. For the first time in years, I’m not impatiently waiting for my future to come.” Blaine brought his left hand to touch Kurt’s face. “I want to live in the present... with you.”

Leaning forward, Kurt pressed his lips against Blaine and pulled back to smile at him. “I love you too.” 

_‘Right answer, Blaine,’_ praised his inner voice, but Blaine was too distracted from the kiss. “That’s one topic covered, what were the others again?” 

“Something about personal boundaries and how far we should or shouldn’t go?” Kurt offered with a playful smile. 

“Ah, yes that’s right.” Blaine draped his arm over Kurt’s shoulder and kissed his cheek. “It should go without saying that we trust one another--” Frowning, Blaine stopped his heartfelt sentence to listen. He swore he had heard something. What was it? 

Kurt must have heard it too because he didn’t ask Blaine what was up and went equally silent. It didn’t take either of them very long to realize the source was coming from behind the door. Blaine saw a shadow through the crack at the bottom; the rustling got louder as something was suddenly shoved through it. 

“What in the world,” Kurt muttered as he got up to investigate. 

“Careful, it might be a bomb,” teased Blaine, though the only way he saw that could be true is if it was a glitter bomb. He wouldn’t put it past Santana to pull something like that, actually.

“As if Santana would put that much effort into anything that wasn’t about her,” Kurt scoffed, rolling his eyes as he bent down to see what the unknown item was. Blaine’s line of vision was blocked as his boyfriend bent down in front of the door. “Oh for the love of--” Kurt hissed before he bellowed, “Santana!” 

Blaine moved to the left until he could see what Kurt had found. It seemed to be a piece of paper, which Kurt for some reason hadn’t bothered to pick up. “What? What did she write?” 

“It’s not so much what she wrote that has me so outraged--which, don’t get me wrong is pretty vulgar on its own--it’s how she had the nerve to slip two rolls of condoms…” Kurt paused for a moment as he gave the note a closer look. “Correct that, one roll of condoms and one roll of lube--I didn’t even know they came in travel size--with the words, ‘Go get some’ underneath them!” 

Groaning, Blaine laid his forehead against his hand. “She’s a bloody menace to society who has no filter whatsoever.” 

“I’m with you there, Blaine.” Kurt went over to his desk, pulled a piece of paper from one of his notepads and began to write something on it with a sharpie pen. Once he appeared to be done, he held it out for his boyfriend to read. 

Scrawled across the paper in bold black letters were the words ‘GO AWAY’, and Blaine laughed at the sight of it. 

“Nicely done, short and to the point.” Pecking him on the lips, Blaine took the message from Kurt and went over to the door. “Allow me.” When Kurt made no objections he put Santana’s paper on the desk (why throw perfectly good condoms and lube away) before he replaced it with Kurt’s reply, and pushed it until it was in front of the door. 

“You know there’s a good chance that she’s not even here and now there’s a big sign saying ‘go away’ at your front door. Everyone who sees it will think we’re inside having sex,” Blaine pointed out. 

Kurt shrugged. “Let them.” His sassy comment made, Kurt joined Blaine on the bed and kissed him. “I have everything I could ever want right here with me, and I’m not referring to those,” he said, pointing to Santana’s ‘gifts’. 

“Right, we were talking about boundaries weren’t we?” 

“I’m finding myself torn; on the one side, I can’t stop thinking about how inexperienced we both are… I don’t want us to rush into things... but then on the other side, I think it’s only going to be a matter of time before the sexual tension between us becomes unbearable.” Kurt sighed. “I know there’s no real reason why we need to hold back--unless we decide that’s what we want, of course.” 

“And is that what you want?” Blaine asked. 

“In some ways yes, but in others…” Kurt lifted his hands up and down as if they were weights on a scale. “I’m not so sure.” 

Blaine understood Kurt’s moral conundrum all too well. “I want to do everything with you, Kurt. I want us to discover the joys of intimacy and all its many forms together. What we’ve done so far has been amazing, and honestly, I don’t want to swear off sex entirely. You’d be far too tempting for me to resist, and like you said, the sexual tension between us is at an all-time high.” Was he talking too much? Blaine tended to ramble when he felt nervous. “So maybe we should try not to rush into things as much as we did last night--if only to save us any further embarrassments.” 

“Considering how mortified I felt--when I wasn’t even asking anything too outrageous, I think you’re on the right track, Blaine.” 

One look at Kurt and his adorably flushed face made Blaine’s hearts melt; draping an arm over his shoulder, Blaine snuggled up nice and close. “How about this: we continue exploring the physical side of our relationship, but we save anal sex--” Blaine was blushing from merely saying the word, a clear sign that it was definitely a good idea to wait. He cleared his throat before he continued, “For when we’re more ready for that step, and in the meantime, we can kiss and carry on to our heart's content until that moment arrives.” 

After mulling over things for a moment by pursing his lips together, Kurt flashed Blaine a smile that nearly sent him swooning backwards. He probably would have if it wasn’t for the fact that Kurt’s arms were firmly around his waist.   
“I think that’s an idea I can get behind,” Kurt said, rolling his eyes when Blaine snickered at him. “Oh, you know what I mean, you big goofball.” 

Now that he knew where they stood when it came to physical intimacy, Blaine didn’t feel the least bit nervous. With a playful flutter of his eyes, Blaine, who was laying on the charm real thick, brought his lips to Kurt’s ear and whispered, “In for a bit of exploring this afternoon?” 

“Yes, yes I am.” Kurt looked over at the desk and Santana’s note. “But not here; your place is much more private.” 

The couple took their time changing out of the night attire (both of which were Kurt’s) and choosing something to wear for the day (also courtesy of Kurt). Blaine loved the fact that they were close enough in size to share clothing. His wardrobe had suddenly doubled, as had Kurt’s, who Blaine would give full access to his entire wardrobe as soon as they were back at his flat. If that didn’t put Kurt in the mood today then nothing would! 

Kurt had just finished buttoning up his dress shirt (which was mauve and Blaine loved the colour on him) when he paused to remove the condoms and lube from Santana’s note. 

“Don’t worry Blaine, I haven’t suddenly changed my mind.” He put them away with his other toiletries and various styling accessories. “There is no way in hell I’m using protection supplied by Santana for our first time.” 

“Seconded!” Blaine cheered as he went over to the door. 

There was no sign of Santana as Blaine and Kurt vacated the dorm room and walked hand in hand down the hallway towards the stairs. No one even so much as looked at the couple on their short journey to the front door of the lodge either. Blaine was too preoccupied to notice in any case; Kurt had his full attention as he showered him with flirty compliments. 

It seemed impossible, but when Blaine was with Kurt he found himself forgetting he was the son of a Timelord who would potentially outlive everyone he knew and loved. He was simply plain old eighteen-year-old Blaine Anderson, John and Melody’s son who was wildly in love with the man walking beside him.   
__________________________________________________________________________

Quinn eyed the closed door of Kurt’s room and the piece of paper in front of it with silent suspicion. While she hadn’t gone so far as to keep a night vigil, she had checked in on the couple (or had tried to) every now and then to make sure Santana wasn’t bothering the boys. Each time she had gone out into the hallway there had been no sign of her, or Kurt and Blaine; as far as she could tell, the new couple hadn’t come out of the room at all. 

“Hey boys, it’s Quinn.” Nothing but silence; Quinn frowned and knocked on the door. “Just checking to see if you’re both alive in there.” 

There weren’t any signs (or rather, sounds) that anything too amorous was going on, but that could mean that Blaine and Kurt were fast asleep after a tiring night together. Either that or they were hiding from Santana. Little did the pair know that said woman had gone off to see to her own pleasure for the day over an hour ago. 

Quinn planned to share that information if and when the boys decided to respond to her calls. So far she was still getting nothing from either of them. “You can’t hide in there forever.” 

“They’ve gone, Quinn,” a male voice in a British accent declared from behind. 

Turning around, Quinn saw it was Adam, who smiled at her in his typical friendly way. Her own grin in reply was far more subdued, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Are you sure about that?” Quinn asked, looking down at the ‘GO AWAY’ sign in front of the door. 

“Quite sure,” Adam chuckled. “I caught the happy couple heading out the front door of the Lodge hours ago looking refreshed and cheerful.” 

Good for them. “It’s about time.” 

Adam nodded. “Would you be a dear and dispose of that?” As in the note he was pointing at. “We have a strict no litter law, and it’s clearly served its purpose already.” 

Right when Quinn bent down to retrieve the note, she heard the sound of footsteps charging towards them from behind. Not bothering to react since it could be anyone, Quinn coolly turned around to see Brittany and Sam bounding straight for her and Adam. 

“More friends of Kurt and Blaine I gather?” Adam questioned. 

Quinn nodded.

“I’ll leave you to it then. Make sure to mind Kurt’s privacy though.” 

Brittany and Sam put the brakes on in the nick of time, bringing them to a full stop before either could crash into her. Had they run all the way here from their own dorms? The way that they were bent over panting seemed to suggest Quinn’s theory. 

“What brings you two here on a Sunday?” Quinn asked them.

Sam let out one final breath and blurted, “Blaine hasn’t been answering my calls since last night! Britt and I stopped by his flat this morning, but he wasn’t there and neither was his car, which means only one thing--” 

“Alien abduction!” interrupted Brittany in a dramatic voice. 

“I don’t think that’s what Sam was going to say, Brittany.” She held up the ‘GO AWAY’ note. “They were here, but they left a couple hours ago. I found this at the door to keep Santana away after she slipped something under it earlier this morning.” Quinn didn’t bother to admit that she had walked in on Kurt and Blaine demanding answers. It wasn’t as if it was important news, and she doubted Santana would care enough to tell them later. 

“So they came here to hook up then,” Sam deduced. 

Quinn smiled lightly. “Seems that way.”

Brittany, whose arms had been crossed over her chest, brought out her phone and started to vigorously text a long message. “But Kurt promised he’d call me! I’m gonna send him another reminder in case he didn’t read the first six I sent him.” 

“I doubt he’ll answer,” Quinn warned.

To her surprise, Brittany’s face lit up with excitement. “Shows what you know Quinn; looks like the seventh time really is the charm! Finally.” She turned her attention to her phone so she could read Kurt’s text. “Okay so they went to Blaine’s place first, and then they came here later on for some reason.” Brittany’s blue eyes narrowed. “Kurt won’t say why; he ignored the winky face I gave him too. Hold on, he’s writing more…” 

Quinn found herself oddly curious about what exactly had gone down, but she managed to hide it thanks to years of practice living through high school. It was nice to know that at least one good thing had come from that hellish time. 

“Aww he’s being shy about it but he pretty much admitted he and Blaine got up to something sexy. Wow! They already said I love you to each other too!” 

“No bloody way!” shouted Sam, who got a shush from Adam or someone who sounded just like him from down the hall. 

Quinn knew all this already, though again she wasn’t about to share the fact right now. “They’ve been practically dating from day one.” 

“And now they’re finally willing to admit it to the world as well as to each other,” Brittany added with a wink. Looking back down at her phone, she typed out a speedy reply with her thumbs. “Sammy, Kurt says that Blaine will call you later so there’s no need to pester him with phone calls.” 

“Who does he think he is?” Sam said, shaking his head. “As if I have nothing better to do than stand around sending him text messages all day…” 

“Do you?” Quinn dared to ask, hoping Sam wouldn’t take offense. She wasn’t used to having friends to joke around with. 

Sam shrugged. “Not really, but he doesn’t need to know that. Wait until Blaine and I have our little chat; I am gonna get every steamy detail out of him.” 

“Don’t you be too hard on him, Sammy,” warned Brittany. “Or else it will be you who won’t have any steamy details to share… _for weeks_.” 

Just because Quinn considered Sam and Brittany her friends didn’t mean she was about to stick around and listen to the couple’s banter. Staying long enough to give a quick goodbye, Quinn headed back to her room to see what she might do for the afternoon. Kurt was bound to return at some point, either alone or with Blaine in tow, and in spite of their recent change in relationship status, Quinn didn’t expect much change in their behaviour (both to each other and to those around them).   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Equipped with a towel draped over one arm, Kurt was about to embark on crossing another first off his list: taking a shower in his boyfriend’s apartment. Boyfriend. Everytime he so much as thought the word he would end up with a big smile on his face. They had spent the good part of the day exploring the joys of physical intimacy in which much laughter was shared, along with some slightly clumsy moments, but in the end, it was a good time for all to be had. The fact that he and Blaine had conducted a thrilling (for them anyway) covert mission to slip out of Carlyle Lodge unnoticed had set the mood from the start.

This time when the happy young couple made it to Blaine’s apartment they didn’t bother to hold themselves back. What happened next was still a bit of a blur for Kurt, but he looked forward to thinking back on it once his memory fully returned. 

For now Kurt was content to bask in the warm afterglow and get ready for his first official date with Blaine. Unlike the times when they had hung out as friends, Kurt was able to hold hands and link arms with Blaine (and steal and couple kisses) throughout the day. Not wanting to separate, Blaine had suggested Kurt come home with him so he could have a shower ‘without anyone grilling him for details’ as Blaine had so cutely put it. 

“Thanks again for letting me use your shower. Knowing my luck, Santana would pop out of nowhere the second I took my pants off,” Kurt said from the doorway of Blaine’s adjoining bathroom. 

“Tell me how she got accepted into Carlyle again?” asked Blaine, who was tidying up his room.

“I’m over exaggerating of course, but it’s still true that she barged in on us this morning.” He was going to have to mention that infraction to Adam for sure. Giving his boyfriend a playful wink, Kurt disappeared into the bathroom, placed his clothes and towels on the sink counter, and stepped into the shower. 

“You know we’re going to have to face our friends tomorrow,” Blaine said, walking into the bathroom (Kurt could just make out his figure through the shower curtain). 

Kurt let out a loud moan as he turned on the water. “Don’t remind me.” At least he had texted Brittany so their friends weren’t totally in the dark anymore.With any luck they had cross referenced with Quinn and Santana and were basically up to speed now. 

“Try not to worry about it and enjoy your shower while I make us a light snack.” 

“Careful or I could get used to you spoiling me like this, Blaine.”   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Off in the kitchen, Blaine was happily whistling to himself as he brought out the necessary ingredients to whip up a little something for him and Kurt to eat. He knew he was grinning like a lovesick fool but he didn’t care. As far as he was concerned, he’d be fine if he never stopped smiling; being with Kurt felt like heaven on earth. After spending the better part of his teenage years telling himself that he couldn’t risk falling in love, he finally knew why his dad kept saying it was worth the risk. 

Blaine had just brought out two plates from his cupboard when a familiar sound filled his ears. No, it couldn’t be… could it? Frozen in place, he listened as hard as he could, desperate to confirm that he was only hearing things. 

But that didn’t happen; the sound was still there, and getting louder by the second. Blaine bolted to the door, swinging it open to see that the Tardis was materializing on a patch of grass next to the sidewalk leading to his apartment. 

“Oh, no, no, no, no. Come on, what are you doing here, dad?” Taking a deep breath, Blaine willed himself to remain calm; shouting would only draw more unwanted attention. His mind was running wild with theories. Had something gone horribly wrong and the earth was under threat? No, it couldn’t be anything that serious; his parents would have contacted him before appearing out of the blue if that were the case. 

So what in the devil was going on and why had his dad abandoned all common sense by showing up in the Tardis while it was still light out? What would the neighbours say? 

Except, when the doors to the Tardis swung open it wasn’t the Doctor who stepped out but his wife River, or rather Melody since she was clearly dressed as her earth born persona.

Melody held up her hand to reveal a memory stick. “Special delivery for my baby boy.” Her warm smile didn’t change even when she saw the panicked state Blaine was in. “And right on time as usual.”

“Mum, you need to leave before anyone notices you!” Blaine blurted at her. 

“Relax Blaine, I’ve got it covered.” Melody used her free hand to fish something out of her pocket and pointed it back at the Tardis. All of a sudden the very out of the place structure disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye. “Don’t tell your father about this; lord knows the trouble he’d get into if he knew that the Tardis has an easy cloaking feature.” 

The fact that the Tardis was out of view calmed Blaine somewhat, but the danger that Kurt might notice his absence was still ever present. 

“So what’s the delivery?” Blaine asked, doing his best to soothe his frazzled nerves on the inside. 

“Have you forgotten I was stopping by with the rough draft of my new novel today?” 

Blaine smacked himself in the forehead. “Was that tonight? Sorry mum, it completely slipped my mind.” There was no reason to hide his new relationship from her of course, aside from being short on time.

“Busy night?” River asked with a knowing smirk. 

“You could say that.” Blaine rubbed the back of his neck as he blushed. “Don’t ask me how, but I finally managed to confess my true feelings to Kurt, who did the same and then one thing led to another…” Things that he was in no mood to confess even if he had the time. “... and he and I are together now.” 

“That’s wonderful news, honey!” Eyes lit with excitement, Melody kissed her bashful son on the cheek. “Is he with you still?” 

Blaine nodded; bless her for being so clever. “I should get back inside before he notices I’m gone…” 

“I’ll take my leave as long as you promise to call me later and fill me in on all of the romantic details.” 

Taking the memory stick, Blaine gave Melody his warmest smile. “I promise.” He leaned forward to give a big hug. “Thanks mum, for the book, and for knowing me so well.” 

“It’s all part of the job.” With that, Melody turned on her heels and walked back to the still invisible Tardis; snapping her fingers, the two doors opened up and she stepped inside. 

Blaine’s back was already turned when the familiar sound of the Tardis’ dematerializing filled his ears. Not bothering to look back, he hurried to his front door, closing it behind him as he scanned the immediate area for any signs of Kurt. The shower was still running when he made it to his bedroom; Blaine had made it back just in the nick of time!

Sure enough, Kurt came out of his bathroom wearing a pair of boxer-briefs (Blaine’s to be precise) and with his hair freshly styled (and looking amazing) seconds before Blaine sat down on the bed. 

“Sorry I took so long; my weekend morning routine takes a while,” Kurt said as he headed over to Blaine’s closet.

The sight of Kurt’s next-to-naked body took Blaine’s breath away, rending him dumbstruck as he gazed at his boyfriend with sheer awe. Scanning over his alluring body, Blaine’s attention was brought to a stray water droplet running down Kurt’s back. Transfixed, his glued eyes followed it along as it trickled down the small of Kurt’s back and disappeared in the waste of his boxer-briefs. No matter how many times Blaine had seen Kurt like this since last night, his reaction was always the same, and he hoped it would be for a good long while--if not forever. 

_‘I’m the luckiest man in the world.’_

When the enticing little fashion show was over, Kurt, now fabulously dressed and looking too handsome for words, joined Blaine on the bed. The couple barely shared a glance before they rushed together, the raw sexual tension becoming too much for either to take. It wasn’t long before Blaine’s hands found their way to Kurt’s neck as they continued to lock lips. 

Things were going well until Kurt rolled on top of him and for some unknown reason, his body, in addition to his demanding mouth, went still. Blaine watched as Kurt’s brows furrowed in what appeared to be confusion. 

Had he done something wrong? 

A playful smirk spread across Kurt’s perplexed face. “What have you got there, Blaine?”

“What do you--?” Blaine began, but then he noticed where his boyfriend was pointing to and chuckled. Oh, he meant the memory stick then. Had Kurt thought he’d gotten a hard on? No wondered he’d looked so puzzled. Blaine fished the item in question out of his pocket and held it up between them. “You mean this? It’s the rough draft of my mum’s latest novel. Her assistant dropped it off while you were in the shower.” 

Without any warning Kurt’s bemused expression took a devious turn and the change was enough to make Blaine’s hearts race. Like a hunter stalking its prey, Kurt’s keen gaze honed onto his target, who stared back at him. Kurt went in for the kill in the blink of an eye, pouncing on Blaine and kissing him with a fierce passion. Although Blaine was taken aback by the aggressive move, he recovered from it quickly and responded with thrilled eagerness. 

Kurt followed up with two more equally electrifying kisses before taking a breather. “So tell me, Blaine…” His voice was dripping in seduction and in his deadly lower register. 

“Tell you what?” Blaine gasped in between heavy pants. He had no idea what had gotten into Kurt, but he got the feeling that it was far from over. 

“What sort of sexual favour do I need to pull to get to read your mom’s new book?” 

A whirlwind of ideas--all of them x-rated and extremely graphic--popped into Blaine’s head at the same time. Oh how Blaine wished he could mention them all but a number of them went far beyond anything they’d be ready to attempt. Some he wasn’t even sure were physically possible. 

“A number come to mind,” Blaine admitted with a smirk. “And I’d be happy to try a few with you as long as you’re game.” He had a feeling Kurt would be. “But even if you aren't, you're more than welcome to read it once I'm done with it.” Though he had nothing against a bit of role play to make things more interesting. “I should finished proofreading it by the time you’re caught up with the series.” 

Blaine grinned; the scenario couldn’t be more perfect! And here he had been worried that dating Kurt would distract him from his editing duties. But Kurt’s excitement over getting to read his mum’s yet to be released novel would help keep both of them on track. Last time he checked Kurt was halfway into reading the second to last novel. “Think you can wait that long, love?” 

“I think that’s an arrangement I can agree to.” Wrapping his arms around Blaine’s shoulders, Kurt planted a sweet kiss on Blaine’s lips. The gentle caress left Blaine wanting more, a fact which his boyfriend seemed fully aware of, going by his playful smirk. “Now back to those sexual favours you were thinking of sharing with me...” 

It felt quite rewarding for Blaine to put his vivid imagination to such good use.   
_________________________________________________________________________

Later that evening Kurt went back to his dorm for the night so he could get a bunch of reading done before bed. Blaine hated to see him go, but he knew it was healthy for them to spend time apart. The last thing he wanted to do was stop paying any attention to his other friends now that he and Kurt were an item. So instead of letting that happen (for a second time) he called up Sam to invite him over. 

When Sam arrived Blaine was in good spirits and greeted his friend with a friendly smile. “Sam! Welcome, mate and come ‘on in. Thanks for dropping by on such short notice.” Ushering Sam inside, Blaine led him to the living room where two bottles of beer were waiting for them on the coffee table. 

“But you never drink,” Sam said. 

Blaine chuckled. “I know, but I’m beginning to realize you can have fun without losing total control.” 

Sam joined him on the couch. “Are you talking about booze or sex?” 

“Both I guess.” Blaine used the bottle opener he’d left on the coffee table to open their beers.

“Good on you, Blaine!” Sam punched him on the shoulder. “I knew you had it in you.” 

“Thanks.” 

“So tell me, what’s it like?” 

Blaine, who had just finished having another drink of his beer, narrowed his eyes. “What what’s like?” 

“What sex is like when it’s two guys.” 

Out of all the questions Blaine thought Sam would ask him, he wouldn’t have guessed this would be the first. Not that Blaine minded answering; Sam was the one person he felt comfortable talking about his sex life with (now that he finally had one to talk about). Whenever Blaine had been bold enough to ask Sam about his own experiences his friend’s answers had been honest and surprisingly educational. 

“I can’t speak for every gay man, but it’s been amazing for me so far.” Comfortable or not Blaine still found it difficult to share any details without blushing. “We haven’t done everything yet. Kurt and I decided to take our time and not try penetrative sex until we feel more ready for that step.” 

“Gotcha. But you’re still doing other stuff then?” 

Blaine nodded, unable to elaborate further until he’d had more to drink. It took a beer and a half for him to become relaxed enough to go into better detail. Sam kept his inquiries to a bearable level, which in turned helped Blaine from feeling embarrassed about the whole thing. It wasn’t long before the two friends were laughing together having a grand old time talking about what lucky sods they were for finding such incredible partners. 

“I think being with Kurt will be really good for you, Blaine,” Sam said towards the end of the evening. 

Their drinks were finished, as was the food Blaine had put out for them, and Sam had admitted he was ready to head back to his dorm. After such a busy weekend, Blaine was looking forward to doing nothing but getting a good night’s rest (even if it was without Kurt). It was back to school tomorrow, which meant he would need to focus on his classes and work on his mum’s novel in his offtime. Blaine wasn’t too worried about being able to juggle it all; he was the son of the Doctor, multitasking was in his blood. 

“Thanks, Sam.” 

“I mean it, I’m really happy for you. I’ve always wanted you to find someone who’d appreciate you for the great guy that you are,” Sam said as he put his shoes and jacket on. “I don’t need to be gay to know what a great catch you are, Blaine.” 

Grinning from ear to ear, Blaine replied, “I’m just glad it was Kurt who cast the line.”


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

How had Kurt’s life come to this again? A few months ago he had been living in Lima Ohio, in hiding, on his own, and without any real friends. If he had asked his fourteen-year-old self where he would see himself five years later, England never would have even crossed his mind. And yet that’s where he was, going to college in Cambridge! And he wasn’t talking about Cambridge Massachusetts either! His days of sullen solitude were over, and had been for weeks, no months! Sometimes Kurt still found it all very hard to believe, even after all this time. 

But it was real, Kurt was no longer alone; he had friends and a boyfriend now, and not just any boyfriend, he was dating Blaine Devon Anderson, the man of his teenage dreams. Their first week together had gone by in a blissful blur. Fully into the intoxicating ‘honeymoon period’, Kurt and Blaine had adapted to the shift in their relationship almost seamlessly. As for their friends, not much had changed, they still teased them mercilessly; the difference now was that Kurt simply laughed off their _playful_ comments. 

Kurt had assumed the campus would be buzzing that first Monday after he and Blaine had gotten together. But for whatever reason, no one had so much as glanced at them, or their romantic euthpora. It was probably the lack of scandal that had brought on such a lackluster reaction, which suited Kurt just fine. There was only one person whose opinion about his recent change in relationship status mattered: his dad, aka Burt Hummel, who he planned to inform this very afternoon. 

While father and son did their best to keep in touch since Kurt had left for the UK, the time difference and their busy schedules kept getting in the way. It had been well over a week since Kurt had Skyped or spoken to his dad. They were still sending each other regular texts and email updates, but it wasn’t the same. Kurt wanted to see the surprise on his dad’s face when he dropped the bomb that he had a boyfriend now. 

Strolling down the halls of CSVPA, Kurt was off to meet up with Blaine before he headed back to his dorm to Skype with his dad. Once he made it to the right spot, he quickly caught sight of a familiar figure and an instant smile spread across Kurt’s face. “There he is, my handsome beau.” 

Blaine grinned right back at him, pecking him on the lips before he replied, “Ooh I like that, it makes you sound _extra_ sophisticated.”

“So you’re sure you’re okay with me ditching you so I can talk with my dad? This is the only time we’re both free.”

Blaine took hold of Kurt’s hand. “Kurt, it’s honestly fine, and I’d hardly call spending time with your dad ditching me. I’ll miss you of course, but I’d like to think we can survive a few hours apart. We’ll meet up when you’re finished like we planned. I’m going to see my mum so we can go over her new novel. It shouldn’t take us too long; we’re old pros at it by now.” 

After Blaine escorted him by the arm his locker, Kurt found himself gazing at his handsome boyfriend as soon as he closed it shut. It was funny, Kurt had always known how attractive Blaine was, but now that they were together, those feelings had steadily intensified. Whenever he even so much as glanced at Blaine, what he saw nearly took his breath away; those sparkling hazel eyes that held so much wisdom for someone so young, along with his equally dazzling smile that could make anyone swoon, were a powerful combination. Blaine Anderson was sex on a stick!

_‘I’m so lucky,’_ Kurt thought, smiling both to himself and at Blaine, who returned the favour. “I’ll call you when I’m done with my dad.” 

Blaine nodded. “Miss you.” An adorable little smirk followed as Blaine honed in on Kurt’s face so they could share a fleeting kiss. 

The subject of PDA was a topic the new couple hadn’t discussed quite yet--not a full blown conversation, anyway. As much as Kurt had no plans of hiding his feelings, he didn’t want to become one of those super obnoxious couples who made out in broad daylight. He had hated _those_ couples in school, for various reasons (some more personal than others), but mostly because they seemed to act without any thought (or shame) to those around them. 

“Ugh, just when I thought you two couldn’t get more sickeningly sweet,” a voice said in obvious disgust. 

Kurt didn’t need to turn around to know who had ruined their nice moment. “We need to transfer schools, Blaine.” Not bothering to take his hands off of Blaine’s shoulders, Kurt eventually turned his head towards the source of the complaint. Santana was standing in front of them fake gagging. Was she for real? Irked but not willing to show it, Kurt went in a different direction. “You know, you should work on your handwriting Santana, you’re last note was barely legible.” 

Santana had started slipping various notes under Kurt’s door at all times of the day, often when Blaine wasn’t even there with him. Her messages ranged from the confusingly caring (the tea bag she’d taped to one turned out to be delicious) and the outright obscene (Kurt had been tempted to burn those ones). Kurt was very close to reporting her to Adam at this point--there had to be a bylaw against written forms of harassment. 

“Look who’s gotten more cocky after finally getting some for himse--” 

“What can we do for you, Santana?” Blaine asked, cutting her off, but in his own polite way. 

Hearing Blaine use ‘we’ instantly put Kurt in a better mood. No more me myself and I; it was us, we and ourselves from now on. Well, relatively speaking, it wasn’t as if he and Blaine had merged together to become one single entity. They were still two people with their own separate identities, values and opinions. But Kurt was all for using plurals whenever they were together--or even when they weren’t--and he couldn’t wait for the chance to begin.   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Kurt found himself wondering how people had coped with living abroad before things like computers and cellphones had existed. If he had been born a couple decades earlier, Kurt would have been writing his dad a letter by hand. But thanks to the fact that he was living in the age of technology, all Kurt had to do was open his laptop and log onto Skype to see his dad’s smiling face in real time. 

“Hey, there’s my kiddo straight from jolly old England,” Burt greeted. Whenever his dad was back in Ohio, he wasted no time in getting rid of the classy suits (his words) and dressed in his usual plaid shirt, baseball cap and blue jeans. 

“Hi dad, it’s so good to see you too. It’s been way too long.” Kurt gave him a sheepish grin. “Sorry I haven’t kept in better touch. My life’s been quite the whirlwind of events lately.” 

“It was bound to happen eventually. What matters is that you’re here now and we can finally catch up.” 

Up until now, Kurt hadn’t felt that overly homesick; Lima would always be his hometown, but he kept telling himself he wouldn’t miss it much. His dad had been the only one who cared about him there, or that’s what it used to feel like anyway. Then Carole and her son Finn had come along, and little by little, Kurt had found himself part of a full fledged family once again.

“I’m telling you dad, I wake up almost every morning wondering if it was all a dream,” Kurt said with a chuckle. 

“So what’s living there like? Is it that different from the States?” 

Kurt, who was sitting on the bed, tapped his pointer finger on his mouth as he pondered his answer. “Yes and no, I guess. In some ways it’s similar, as in school, but in other ways it’s pretty different. The accents, for one, took some getting used to, that and which side of the road traffic drives on. I’d say it’s the little things that surprise me the most though. Everyone’s sports-mad here I swear, or at my dorm at least. But it’s not so bad, not with all of the smaller shops they have here. It’s been hard for me not to spend my monthly allowance in a week. 

“How about those new friends of yours you’ve been texting me about?” prompted Burt.

“Well there’s Quinn, who’s from Seattle, she’s staying in the same dorm as me. We’ve become pretty good friends; it’s nice to have someone who’s going through the same culture shock as me. There’s also Blaine; he’s in all of my classes except one, we became pretty fast friends right from the start, probably because we have a ton in common. Oh, he’s from the UK; Quinn’s my only friend who isn’t.” Kurt knew it would be pointless to avoid talking about Blaine, though he did leave out the part about Blaine not sounding like a local. 

 

“His two best friends are a guy named Sam and his girlfriend Brittany--Sam’s girlfriend, not Blaine’s, I mean. They’re both great and welcomed me into their little group right from the start. Other than those three... there’s this girl named Santana, who I wouldn’t quite call a friend, but we keep running into her quite regularly. She’s living at Carlyle Lodge as well so that’s one of the reasons why.” 

Burt smiled warmly at his son. “I’m real happy for you Kurt, this is what I’ve always wanted for you: a place you could belong. I wish it didn’t have to be so far away, but that’s life for you.” 

“What about you, dad? How are things back home, and in DC?” Kurt wasn’t about to let their conversation be all about him. He had every intention to mention how he and Blaine were dating, Kurt was simply saving the best news for last. 

“Not much to report on my end. Ohio’s the same as I left it, Carole’s doing good, she got to come with me to Washington this last time. Oh, before I forget, she wants you to Skype with her soon too. Finn’s trying his best to stay ahead in college. It’s been nice being able to work at the shop these last few days. Don’t get me wrong, I like being a congressman, even with all the challenges, I feel like I’m helping making a difference--in my own way.”

Kurt smiled; this had to be first time either of them had so much to share. “It’s looks like we’re both doing something we’re proud of.” It was about time, and speaking of which, this felt like the right moment to reveal the recent big change in his life. “So um, there’s something I need to tell you dad, you know Blaine, well he may have started out as just a friend, but one thing led to another… and... we’re together now.” 

“You mean you’re dating? Exclusively? As boyfriends?” Burt, it seemed, didn’t want to make any wrong assumptions. When Kurt shyly nodded he added, “That was quick.” 

“You’re telling me.” If anyone had asked Kurt if he thought he’d find a boyfriend three weeks into arriving in the UK, he would have laughed in their face. “I’m as shocked as you are. It hasn’t really fully sunk in yet.” That would probably take months to happen. “Blaine’s so wonderful dad; he’s super charming, and smart, and boy is he talented! You should hear him sing; he has the most amazing voice!” 

Burt’s smile was almost as big as his son’s. “Sounds like you’re pretty smitten.” 

“Oh, I am. I’ve never met anyone like Blaine, he’s got this quality... one that’s hard to put into words. There’s this magical air to him that draws you in. I found myself pulled towards him from the moment we first met. When I’m with him, I feel so special and appreciated…” Should he admit how deeply his feelings for Blaine ran? Oh what the hell, Kurt didn’t want to hide anything from his dad. “And loved.” 

If Burt was surprised to hear his son utter the word love then it was on the inside, because he didn’t give any sort of visible reaction. Burt’s smile was still firmly in place and as warm as ever; so either he thought it was a figure of speech, or he wasn’t bothered by it. 

“I told you that you coming out was the first step towards better things, Kurt.” 

“And you were right, as usual.”

“Will I like Blaine?” 

Kurt grinned. “I’m sure you will. Sorry that you won’t be able to meet him for a while.” 

“I’ll live, feel free to introduce me here on Skype when you’re both ready. I hope you’re still planning on coming back for Christmas,” Burt said, eyeing him for added effect. 

“I’ll be home for the holidays dad, promise,” assured Kurt, who crossed his heart for good measures. Staying in the UK for winter break hadn’t even entered his mind. He knew Blaine would understand, in fact, he’d probably insist that Kurt needed to go. “And in the meantime, you keep on fighting congress one bill at a time, and I’ll do my best to juggle between having a social life that includes a boyfriend and keeping my grades up.” 

“So where is Blaine then?” 

“He’s off visiting his own parents who live right here in Cambridge.” 

“Have you met them yet?”

Kurt shook his head. “No. It’s a little too so for that. Blaine and I got together this past weekend, but we were kinda dating even before then. Our friends kept on bugging us about the fact, but we were too stubborn to accept it.” It was easier for Kurt to slightly bend the truth to put him and Blaine in a better light. “We finally settled things though, and I’m really looking forward for what the future holds for us.” Kurt blushed. “I’m probably getting ahead of myself, but I can’t help it; I’ve never been in love before.” 

Just as before, Kurt had said the word on purpose, and the reward for his honesty was to see his dad’s smile grow bigger. 

“I’m glad you’re not hiding your feeling from me, Kurt,” Burt said. 

“You are?” 

Burt chuckled. “Hey I was young once too remember? I was only twenty-two when I met your mom and I married her six months in. I’m not saying you should run off and elope with Blaine, I just want you to know that I understand what you’re going through.” 

“Thanks, dad.” It was hard to believe Kurt had spent the better part of his life being too afraid to come out to his dad. He felt bad for doubting him, but the idea had been so scary, Kurt hadn’t known how he would react. 

But he had done it, eventually. Kurt’s days of second guessing himself were over--it gets better indeed--his life had changed so much already from that freeing moment.

“Oh, be on a look out for a package I sent earlier this week, it should be arriving in the next few days.” He and Blaine had spent an enjoyable afternoon picking suitable gift items, some of which Kurt had liked so much he’d bought two so he could keep one for himself.

“Will it be full of tea?” 

Grinning, Kurt said, “Amongst other quintessentially British things.”   
______________________________________________________________________________

Following Kurt’s lead, Blaine had decided to spend time with his own parents, who had jumped at the chance to see him. The happy family of three were in one of their favourite spots at home, sitting at their patio set in the backyard. It was well known throughout the neighbourhood that John Anderson had quite the green thumb. What most people didn’t know was that a number of his impressive looking plants were either alien in origin, or were new types of hybrids he had cultivated over the years. Blaine’s dad had made sure nothing was so foreign looking that people would notice too much, though. 

The Doctor, who was holding a large tray of sweets and savouries, went over to the table and laid it before his awaiting wife and son. “Here we are, a proper high tea fit for the queen, just like old times.” 

Blaine reached out to take a scone and began to cover it in Devonshire cream and jam. “Now this, I’ve missed.” 

“If you came back to visit more often you wouldn’t have to go so long without them,” River said as she poured them each a glass of almond tea. 

“Well he’s here now, so let’s enjoy ourselves to the fullest,” the Doctor advised, popping an egg sandwich into his mouth. 

The Andersons had thrown many a high tea over the years. Blaine had always looked forward to them, and it was no different now. He should suggest they hold one for Kurt after they were introduced to each other--whenever that may be. Blaine told himself he wasn’t trying to prolong the meeting, he just wanted to let he and Kurt enjoy their new relationship without having to worry about his parents embarrassing him with childhood stories for a bit longer. 

“So how are things going with Kurt?” the Doctor asked when Blaine was on his second scone. 

Blaine smiled. “Things are going very well, or as well as they can be when it’s only been a week since we got together.” But oh what a week it had been. His smile widened as the many _happy_ memories came back to him. “I always thought it would be impossible to be in a relationship with so many secrets to hide, but it’s been surprisingly easy.” It helped that said secrets were far too outlandish for anyone to guess (aside from Brittany maybe). “It’s funny, but when I’m with Kurt I feel so alive… and human.” 

“You’ll find that loves does that to you,” John said, winking at his wife. 

“Who would have guessed that a man who resisted his emotions for _so long_ would have turned out to be such a romantic,” remarked River, who flashed her husband a playful smile. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “I never fully shied away from love, dear. I simply tried my best to avoid it, which in my defense, did work--for the most part.” 

“Until I came into your life that is, and then the rest is history,” River finished for him. 

“But back to our patient son.” The Doctor turned to Blaine and held out a plate of tarts for him to select from. “My advice for you, Blaine, is to focus on what you can share with Kurt and not what you need to keep from him.” 

Once again his dad knew exactly what to say, and Blaine bit into his delicious lemon tart feeling much more at ease. 

“If you want _my_ advice, which you would be wise to take, you should use that golden voice of yours to your advantage and serenade Kurt whenever possible,” added River. 

“You can’t sing all your troubles away, but your mother does have a point, Blaine.” 

Blaine chuckled as he watched his parents launch off into one of their many playful little arguments, if it could even be called that. As usual, there was a lot of flirting going on in between the clever counter remarks. Instead of joining in, Blaine simply drowned them out and sat there enjoying his tea as he let his mind drift off. A warm smile spread across his face when those thoughts quickly turned to Kurt. 

_‘I wonder what he’s up to right now?’_ Was he still talking with his dad? 

As if by magic, Blaine’s phone came to life and began to play the personal ringtone he’d assigned for his boyfriend (Might Tell You Tonight by the Scissor Sisters--a natural choice). 

“Kurt! What a lovely surprise this is,” Blaine chimed, answering right away. 

“Hello to you too. I hope I’m not interrupting anything…” 

At the mention of Kurt’s name, River and the Doctor had stopped talking and were now staring at their son with big teasing grins on their faces. Blaine narrowed his eyes at them to tell them to behave or else he would take his call somewhere more private. 

“Not at all, I’m still at home with my parents,” Blaine said. 

“Isn’t it nice to be appreciated,” the Doctor remarked in a sarcastic tone. 

River elbowed him. “Quiet or he’ll run off.” 

“I just finished skyping with my dad; we had a great time. It felt good to catch up with him after so long. I told him about you too, and he’s already asking when he can meet you--through a computer screen of course,” Kurt babbled in the adorable voice he used whenever he was in a good mood. 

The fact that Burt Hummel wanted to meet him already both excited and terrified Blaine, and not only because he was Kurt’s beloved father. What guy wouldn’t be nervous about meeting their significant other’s dad? The trouble was, if Blaine were to meet Burt, then Kurt would no doubt expect to meet his parents next, and why shouldn’t he?

“I hope I can live up to his expectations,” Blaine replied, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Kurt’s beautiful laughter filled Blaine’s ears. “You’ll be fine; let me know when you feel ready for it, okay?” 

“Okay.”

“There’s no rush or anything, I mean, we’ve only been dating for a week and you’ve got your mom’s book to work on, and I need to finish reading the rest of the series still myself!” Kurt paused to catch his breath. “I’ll need that much time to prepare myself for when I get to meet her, Blaine. Make sure we have the whole day free because it’s going to take me that long to tell her how much I love her books!” 

“Oh, I love him already,” whispered River. Kurt’s excitement meant he was speaking loud enough for her and the Doctor, who was beaming beside her, to overhear. 

Blaine put a finger to his lips to silence her. “Thanks love, I shouldn’t be much longer here.” 

“Take your time; I know how important your family is to you, Blaine. Call me when you’re finished and we’ll meet up for our scheduled date tonight.” 

They shared a few more quick pleasantries before ending their call and Blaine was left to deal with his beaming parents. The first thing he did after putting his phone away was pour himself another cup of tea before bothering to acknowledge them. 

“I’m not trying to hide you for the record,” Blaine began. 

“No one said that you were,” the Doctor pointed out. 

Melody smirked. “I might. It all depends on what our son has to say in his defense.” 

Sighing, Blaine put his teacup back onto its saucer. “It will happen.” 

“And when might that be exactly?” River coaxed. 

“I don’t have an exact date yet. I know you and dad are eager to meet him, but it’s only been a week.” Most couples waited for months before introducing their families to each other, so why couldn’t he and Kurt do the same? 

Blaine had a lot to do before he wanted to deal with such meetings; he had a surprise to plan for his boyfriend, and speaking of which… 

“That reminds me, I wanted to thank you, dad.” Reaching into his blazer pocket, Blaine brought out the Doctor’s psychic paper and held it out. “For lending me this, I really appreciated it, and I really owe you one.” 

An expression swept across his dad’s face that Blaine didn’t recognize, but his furrowed brows and pursed lips seemed to suggest confusion, which didn’t make any sense--unless he had forgotten that he’d leant the psychic paper to Blaine. It was possible; while the Doctor’s memory hadn’t started to go, with so much going on in his clever mind, certain details did tend to slip from now and then (but usually not for very long). 

“That’s what fathers are for,” the Doctor finally replied, once again his usual carefree self. 

Blaine must have been imagining things. Rising from the chair, he tucked the physic paper back into his jacket for safe keeping. “This has been wonderful, but I should probably get going. I hate to make Kurt wait for too long.” He paused after standing up to look at the table full of dishware and leftover treats. “I can stay and help tidy up if you wan--” 

“There’s no need, go on, your father and I will be fine. It’s obvious that you’re dying to see him,” River said. 

Blaine needed no further encouragement so he bounded off in a half jog. The Doctor watched him go, waiting until he was no longer in sight to turn to River. 

“Well, this is an interesting turn of events,” he said, scratching the bottom of his chin. 

River nodded. “Judging from your reaction, I take it that you haven’t given him the psychic paper yet.” She paused to watch her husband nod; her observation confirmed, she went on. “Which means one of us--most likely you--will go back in time at some point to lend it to him…” 

“Yes, but the question I’d like to know is, why that is, when does it take place and what will bring me to this action?” The look of puzzlement was back on the Doctor’s face and risked reaching brooding proportions. 

“Should we be worried?” 

The Doctor sighed. “I’m not sure. Nothing points to any signs of danger, but I dislike not knowing what’s going on…” 

“Don’t I know it,” River teased. She reached out to clasp his hands and gave them a loving squeeze. “Try not to fret sweetie; if life has taught me anything it’s that sometimes all you can do is keep on guard and wait for events to happen.” 

“You’re right of course, I’ve just never been good at waiting for things to happen…” The Doctor stood up to begin stacking the empty plates. “It’s hard not to worry, he’s our son, River…” 

River didn’t try to coddle her troubled husband. “I know sweetie, I know.” 

Both of them knew what lengths they would go to save Blaine, and neither River, nor the Doctor wanted anything to happen to him that forced them to do so.   
______________________________________________________________________________

At first, Kurt wasn’t too worried about when he would get to meet Blaine’s parents (even when Blaine started cleverly sidestepping the question by kissing him), but then two weeks went by without so much as a word about them. It seemed impossible, but as time went on, Kurt swore his boyfriend was avoiding introducing them on purpose. Kurt had tried to slip the subject into their conversations, to no avail; Blaine was the master of mentioning one of Kurt’s many passions to distract him from his objective. 

Kurt kept trying to tell himself that he was worrying for nothing; he and Blaine were busy enough trying to balance between going on dates, their school work, hanging out with their friends and finding time to get a little physical whenever they had a private moment in Blaine’s apartment. Not only that, but the couple still tried to schedule some time apart to keep from becoming too dependant on one another--however brief those attempts tended to be. 

Such an opportunity had occurred less than an hour ago when Blaine had been dragged off (literally) by Sam for some overdue best-mate time. Kurt had attempted to do the same, but Quinn was off at a book club and Brittany hadn’t answered any of his texts, so he was left to seek the company of the last person he’d normally choose, but who had been conveniently free: Santana. 

In normal cases Kurt wouldn’t have subject himself to her annoyingly abrasive personality, but he didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts right now. Kurt knew how that would turn out; he would try to distract himself by reading, but it wouldn’t be long before his silly worries would turn into a big ball of stress. 

So Kurt had turned to Santana, who ended up surprising him by taking him out for dinner at her favourite local pub. 

“So what’s got you looking so on edge, Kurt?” Santana asked once their food had arrived. 

Kurt, who was caught off guard by her having any interest in his life, put down the french fry he was about to eat. “Is it that obvious?” 

“Are you kidding? You’re in a pub with me! That seems like a surefire sign of desperation to me.” She stopped to take a big bite out of her burger, chewing as Kurt stared at her with mild irritation. “Lay it on me Hummel, you’ve caught me in a rare good mood. I hooked up with this killer bird who’s on the volleyball team last night--” 

“Please spare me the steamy details, Santana,” pleaded Kurt. 

“Fine, it’s your loss. So what is it? Is Blaine weak in the sack or something? That’s what happens when two virgins get together; I’d be happy to give you some pointers from back when I used to shag men--” 

“I haven’t met Blaine’s parents yet and I’m wondering if I ever will,” Kurt interrupted before she could go any further. 

Drinking more of her beer, Santana smirked. “Is that all? How disappointing, but I get it. Blaine talks so much about his family even I’ve noticed. Makes me wonder why he’s dragging his heels.” She paused to apparently ponder the matter while she ate. “I have my own theories, none of which you’ll like, but I’m willing to share them with you if you want.” 

“What’s the worst one?” 

“That Blaine’s part of a drug lord family.” 

Kurt made a loud scoffing noise. “I don’t know why I bothered to ask.” 

“But you did. The way I see it, Blaine’s got something to hide from you, something about his family. Why else wouldn’t he want you to meet his parents?” 

Why had he bothered to talk to Santana again? “Maybe he’s worried about them embarrassing him in front of me?” Kurt had his own concerns about his dad, but not to a point where he wanted to prolong their meeting. 

“Is that the crap answer he gave you? And you actually bought it?” Santana shook her head. “I take it back. Blaine must be an animal in bed then.” 

Kurt felt so tired, he didn’t have the energy to use his usual snark to put Santana in her place. “I'm starting to regret us sitting down to dinner.”

Santana looked up and signalled to one of the waitresses, who came over and she whispered something in her ear. The task done, Santana went back to her meal and smirking at Kurt with his silly boyfriend problems. 

“Too late to bitch about it now. What you need to do is confront Blaine and tell him how you feel.” 

The waitress returned before Kurt could make a reply comment with a platter holding four shots that she place on the table. Once she was gone, Santana wasted no time in divvying out the goods and starting on one. Kurt eyed the shot suspiciously, and in an impulsive moment, he decided to go for it and threw the glass back in one motion. He had expected a harsh aftertaste to burn all the way down his throat, but he was pleasantly surprised; the shot was sweet and tasted like liquid apple pie. 

“You’re welcome,” Santana said, downing her second shot. 

“I keep telling myself Blaine will introduce us when he’s ready, but the longer it’s taking the more my imagination begins to run wild.” Kurt didn’t take his second shot yet, opting for his water instead.

“Try withholding sex. Bet he’d fess up real quick then.” 

Kurt snorted. “And punish myself in the process? Fat chance of that happening.” His dad had been right, once Kurt started having regular sex, he didn’t want to stop (and they hadn’t even gone all the way yet) so he wasn’t ready to play that card just yet.  
______________________________________________________________________________

It had started out as another regular day for Blaine. He had spent it in Kurt’s amazing company, until he had gone off to visit his parents in the evening. While he hadn’t said anything about it, Blaine could tell Kurt felt troubled about something, and it wasn’t hard to guess what it could be. It was time to face the music and let his parents meet Kurt. The fact that he needed to drop off the finished second draft of his mum’s novel was an added bonus. 

Too bad Blaine’s life was anything but normal, because when he stepped inside his house, he found Santana Lopez sitting at the kitchen counter. 

“About time you showed up, Blaine. Your parents and I were beginning to wonder if you’d show up at all,” Santana said; her ability to act so casual showed how good of an actress she was. 

Luckily for Blaine, he was just as composed as she was, so he didn’t bat an eye at her being there. “Santana, why am I not surprised.” 

“You’re not? Then why is your eye twitching like that? You should really have that looked at.” 

In walked John, who unknowingly broke up the potential showdown before it could escalate. “There you are, Blaine. Look! Your friend Santana stopped by for a visit, isn’t that nice of her?” Ever the host, John handed Santana a cup of tea and placed a home-cooked muffin in front of her. 

“Except I don’t live here anymore,” Blaine pointed out. How had she found their address? It wasn’t even listed as far as he knew. “Did Brittany tell you I’d be here?” 

“I did actually,” Melody announced as she stepped into the kitchen. “I invited Santana over after she gave us a call.” 

Blaine looked at the three of them and let out a heavy sigh. “I take it Brittany gave you the number?” 

“Good guess, Blaine. Maybe you’re not so thick headed after-all.” Santana took a sip of her tea. “Kurt’s been wondering why you won’t let him meet your parents so I decided to see for myself. I gotta say I’m disappointed with you; your family is totally normal, so what’s this all about?” 

“There’s nothing going on. I’m here to arrange them all to meet, in fact,” Blaine said. 

Melody came up to her son and took hold of his arm, leading him to a safer distance away from Santana. “Have you brought my book?” Blaine nodded and she grinned. “Good, let’s install it while your father keeps Santana company for us.” She looked back at the people in question. “You don’t mind do you, Santana? I have a deadline to keep after-all, it won’t take us long.” 

Santana waved them off. “Take as long as you need. I got all the company I could want, isn’t that right Mr. A?” 

As much as Blaine hated the idea of leaving his dad alone with Santana, Melody led him away by the arm before he could object to the idea.

Back in the kitchen, John was ready to take his role as simple-human father and host to hearts, by joining Santana at the counter with his own cup of tea in hand. 

“So what brings you here, Santana? Not that I mind, any friend of Blaine’s is always welcome,” John began. 

“It’s like I just told Blaine; Kurt’s worried why Blaine wouldn’t let you meet him, but he’s too scared to ask Blaine himself, so here I am.” 

“When neither of them asked for your help?” 

Santana grinned. “I’ve never been the sort of girl who needs permission to do stuff, especially when my friends are involved.” 

“Well said, but I would ask you to go easy on Blaine, he is terribly new to this whole love thing,” John said. He liked this Santana, she had guts. “But he comes around eventually, which he’s already done in this case.” 

“Not before stressing his boyfriend out though.” 

Keeping his cool composure, John nodded in agreement. “Yes, but that’s their business, which you should mind to remember.” 

Santana’s reaction to John’s fatherly advice was to laugh out loud. “Blaine’s your son all right. You’re both too polite for your own good.” 

John chose to take her comment as a compliment.   
______________________________________________________________________________

“Blaine, stop worrying, you really need to give your father more credit. After what he and I have faced, do you really think we can’t manage one nosy teenage girl?” Melody demanded. 

Blaine, who was at the computer transferring files, sighed at his mum’s remark. “Sorry, but you don’t know what she’s like, mum. Santana is relentless and has no sense of privacy, or self decorum or--” 

“Oh please, you don’t think we’ve dealt with her type before? I know I have and I’ve never let them get the better of me, and I don’t plan on letting them now. The Doctor and I have spent the last eighteen years living on earth without revealing who we really are. I understand your concern, but I’ve never met anyone who has been able to resist your father’s charm, as far as humans go anyway.” Placing her hands on Blaine’s shoulders, Melody gave her son a relaxing massage to calm his frazzled nerves. “You have nothing to fret about, you’ll see.” 

“If you say so,” Blaine muttered, going to back to his job. He clicked on the necessary icons to put everything into the correct folders, allowing the mundane task to distract him for a moment. 

“You did come here to arrange a meeting with Kurt? That wasn’t a lie to pacify Santana?” Melody asked. 

Blaine shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I meant what I said. I’ve made you wait long enough…” He couldn’t take Kurt’s pained glances anymore; he needed to make it up to him somehow. 

“That’s my clever boy.” She let go of Blaine’s shoulders once his posture was no longer so tense. “Shall we check on your father and see how he’s faring with young Santana?” 

Wincing, Blaine replied, “I’m almost too afraid to look.” 

“Don’t be so sure about that.” 

True to Melody’s words, there was nothing for Blaine to fear when mother and son returned to the kitchen to find John and Santana locked in an arm wrestling match of all things. Blaine took one look at the battling pair and his mouth hung open in disbelief. 

“Dad, what are you doing?” Blaine demanded, reeling in second-hand embarrassment. 

“What does it look like?” Santana answered for him, never losing her grip as she fought with his dad. “He’s getting his ass kicked by a lesbian.” 

Melody went to stand behind the counter so she could put on another pot of tea. The match seemed to be going nowhere, neither John nor Santana able to get the upper hand for even a second. 

Blaine sighed; how long was this going to go on? 

“Sweetie, while I find it chivalrous of you, if you keep holding back for her sake then we could be here all night,” warned Melody. 

As if by magic, or rather thanks to Melody’s headings, John suddenly found the inner strength needed to tip the match in his favour. In one firm movement, John pulled down Santana’s arm in spite of her feeble last attempts to retaliate, and it was all over. 

Santana was left in utter shock as John saluted her for giving it her best shot. Her dumbfounded expression almost made it worth her unwanted meddling--almost--but Blaine couldn’t resist sneaking a quick photo to capture the moment (and for some potential collateral).  
_____________________________________________________________________________

The need to study managed to keep Kurt occupied as he waited for Blaine to call him, but only for so long. Once his homework was finished, Kurt had stooped to listening to the album Blaine had recently suggested to pass the time. He was just about to text his boyfriend when the door suddenly swung open without any warning. 

Preparing himself for the worst--because there was only one person he knew who would burst in unannounced--Kurt looked up and was surprised to see Blaine skip into the room, and he hadn’t come empty handed. In his arms was a gigantic bouquet of vibrant flowers, many of which Kurt had never seen the likes of before! 

“Blaine, what’s all this?” Kurt asked, unable to hide his delight by beaming at him. 

Armed with bouquet in hand, Blaine went down on one knee and offered the gift as if he were a knight kneeling before his queen. “These are for you, fresh from my dad’s garden.” Blaine placed the flowers in Kurt’s open hands and bent over to pick up a beautiful crystalline vase that had been at his feet. “And this is a gift from my mum. Don’t worry, she wanted me to tell you it looks far more expensive than it actually is.” 

Kurt brought the flowers to his nose and took a deep breath, savouring their heavenly fragrance with fluttering eyes. “They’re lovely Blaine, you’ll have to thank your dad for me.” His eyes went to the vase, which was equally splendid as it glittered in the light. “And your mum as well.” 

“You’ll be able to thank them yourself very soon,” Blaine said in a sly voice. 

As if he hadn’t been surprised enough, Blaine, who had just stood back up, held out a small object in front of Kurt. 

“Is that what I think it is?” Kurt asked, barely containing his excitement. 

“If you think this is my mum’s new book for you to read then you would be correct.” 

Torn between showering Blaine with kisses or putting his flowers into his new vase, Kurt leaned forward--which wasn’t easy without crushing any blossoms in the process--and pecked his boyfriends on the lips. “You are such a sweetheart! Wait right there, I just need to put these in the vase first.” 

Once Kurt’s bouquet was safely in water and on his dresser, Kurt turned back to face Blaine, pouncing on him in an instant. Grabbing the sides of his face, he planted a big kiss on his lips and made it an extra passionate caress for good measures. 

“I’m so sorry for making you worry, Kurt,” Blaine whispered, nuzzling his cheek against Kurt’s. 

“It’s all right--” 

“No it’s not. I should have been more honest with you. It was never because of you, Kurt, I need you to know that. My parents have been dying to meet you since day one. I wish I could give you a good reason why I’ve waited this long…” Blaine sighed. “But I can’t, all I can do is ask your forgiveness, and if you’d be willing to meet them still.” 

Kurt hugged Blaine. “Of course I’d like to meet them still, and I want you to meet my dad too.” 

“I’m so glad.” Blaine’s shoulders sagged with relief. “My mum insisted on giving you a formal invitation.” 

“Have you read what it says?” Kurt asked as he took the letter. 

“No, and it’s tearing me up inside not knowing.” 

With that adorable confession, Kurt quickly but carefully opened the envelope to reveal the card inside. The cover had a beautiful scene of a British manor in the countryside covered in wildflowers. Kurt admired it before finally opening it to see the beautifully written script inside with stylish calligraphy. 

Full of excitement, Kurt began to read the message Blaine’s mum had written. 

_Dear Mr. Kurt Hummel_

_You have been formally invited to the Anderson residence for the date of this upcoming Friday evening. Call it old fashioned, but I wanted to give a good first impression by writing your invitation by hand. I hope you enjoyed the personal touch. Blaine must be beside himself with worry as you are reading this, so please let him take a look when you are done to put him at ease. I am tempted to apologize for my son not arranging this sooner, but I assume he would have done so already by this point. I shall leave it to you to decide how easily he is to be forgiven._

_I hope you enjoy the book. I look forward to meeting you and hearing what you think of it._

_Melody Anderson_

Per her instructions, Kurt handed the letter over to Blaine as soon as he was finished with it. It was entertaining to watch his boyfriend’s eyes fly back and forth as he hastily read her message. 

“Oh thank heavens,” Blaine said, exhaling with audible relief. “She told me she would behave, but you never know with her…” 

Kurt took the letter back and read it for a second time. “Oh wait, she left a footnote at the bottom.” 

“What does it say?” 

“Are you sure you want to know?” 

Blaine bit his bottom lip. “Tell me, I’m used to what she’s like.” 

_“Ps. The flowers were his idea. Enjoy yourselves now.”_

At first Kurt thought Blaine was going to shrink away or let out a big groan of embarrassment, but all he did was laugh with a shake of his head. 

“That’s actually rather tame for her, so I suppose I should be grateful,” Blaine muttered, still chuckling away. 

“I’m suddenly wondering what I’ve gotten myself into by dating you, Blaine.” 

“That makes two of us.” 

Kurt closed in on Blaine, looping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and pulling him in nice and close. Now within Kurt’s reach, he set the mood (and his intentions) by fluttering his eyes at Blaine until he finally caught on. Clearly all for it, Blaine closed his eyes right before their lips touched. 

“Maybe you and I can make Friday night even more special,” Kurt said in between their fevered kisses. 

Blaine, who had been busy tangling his hands up in Kurt’s hair as they made out, asked, “What do you have in mind?” 

“By giving anal sex a go finally?” The fact that Kurt could say the words without fumbling was a good sign that he was ready. As for Blaine, his face didn’t go bright red like before, but his eyes did glaze over for a second. “Blaine?” 

“Sorry. My brain sort of short circuited for a second there.” 

Kurt laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” 

“Yes,” Blaine breathed, kissing Kurt to seal the deal. “I’d like that, very, _very_ much.” 

The decision made, the couple resumed kissing one another to their heart's content, both comfortable with each other and the choices they’d made. Kurt didn’t mind that it would be days before the momentous day. There was still plenty they could do in the meantime, starting with perfecting Kurt’s blow job tenique; he was sure Blaine would be game for it, just as soon as he shared his intentions. 

Letting his lips trail from Blaine’s mouth to his neck, his boyfriend’s soft moans were all the encouragement needed to continue. Distracted by Kurt’s skillful mouth, Blaine seemed to be unaware of his body's’ movements, which suited Kurt just fine as he guided them towards his bed. When the back of Blaine’s thighs hit the bed’s edge he was about lean back but Kurt grabbed onto his hips to keep him in place. 

“And where do you think you’re going, Blaine?” Kurt questioned. 

“Oh, I thought we were moving to the bed.” 

Kurt grinned. “Not yet, I want you like this, is that good?” 

“Fuck yes,” Blaine grinned; someone was getting excited. 

Blaine’s pants were gathered around his ankles when there was a loud knock at the door, interrupting the heated moment. 

“You have got to be kidding me,” Kurt muttered under his breath; he had no time for this! 

Proving how of mind the couple was, both men ended up shouting the reply at the same moment, in the exact same words. “Go the fuck away, Santana!” 

Santana must have got the message because it wasn’t long before the only sounds coming from Kurt’s dorm room were Blaine’s half restrained moans of pleasure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the scene with River, and the Doctor reveals that Blaine is given the physic paper in the unforeseen future. The scene from an earlier in chapter was in fact a future form of the Doctor (not canon DW so much). That Doctor has reached the point where he and River have parted ways and had to go back to their regular lives without always being together, hence his sombre mood.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Pacing back and forth in his dorm room, Kurt was dressed to impress, and acting far too stressed for one looking so fabulous. His plan to wear a suit had been politely vetoed by Blaine, who had suggested Kurt look for a slightly more casual option. Although Kurt eventually accepted his boyfriend’s sound reasoning, he wasn’t about to put on a tshirt and jeans. Not by a long shot. He wasn’t your average college freshman: he was Kurt Hummel, couture extraordinaire. It was more than wanting to look his best though. Fashion had become a crucial outlet for Kurt, dating back to his closeted high-school days. There was something about finding just the right outfit to match not only his situation, but also his mood, that felt so rewarding. 

Now wasn't one of those times. His expectations were high, and his need for perfection was causing him a lot of unnecessary stress. Kurt had spent over an hour aggressively going through his wardrobe, before he decided to seek out a second opinion. Quinn had done her best to give the right sort of feedback, but, even with her aid, it had taken Kurt ages to make his final choice. 

He was still second guessing himself even now (hence the pacing), despite being all set to go. Kurt stared at his reflection as he fussed over how everything fit on him. Was it good enough? Should he have gone with option number six? Quinn swore this was the way to go, but Kurt was the one who was meeting his boyfriend’s parents tonight, not her. He wanted--no he _needed_ to make the best first impression possible! 

Doubt washed over Kurt’s tightly furrowed eyebrows. This was all wrong. He was trying too hard and it showed. He shouldn’t have picked a dress shirt with such a bright and busy pattern. It wasn’t too late to trying on something else. But what? What would be good enough to dazzled Blaine’s parents? 

Pushing himself away from the mirror, Kurt resumed his pacing as he went through his options yet again. 

“Kurt, you need to stop before you make us both dizzy,” Quinn warned as Kurt made a dramatic about-face right in front of her. 

Kurt chose to heed her advice, if only to calm his racing heart, and came to a stop, but he was unable to remain fully still. “Sorry.” 

His hands felt itchy as he fidgeted nervously away. “But I’m just so nervous about meeting Blaine’s parents.” The urge to resume pacing returned, so Kurt tried to distract himself by looking at his reflection in the full-length mirror which was mounted on his door. 

“You don’t think I look too casual?” asked Kurt. 

Quinn shook her head. “My opinion from twenty minutes ago still stands.” 

Nodding more to himself than Quinn, Kurt looked back into the mirror so he could break his outfit down piece by piece to convince himself he’d made the right choice once and for all. 

Even before Kurt had started contemplating what type of image he wanted to project, he had know which design brand to try first: Paul Smith. It had been the one easy decision he had made in fact, because not only was it British, but it was also one of his and Blaine’s favourites. With his choices narrowed down, Kurt had gone through his small but impressive collection of Paul Smith shirts to see which would be the winning choice. After trying them all on, the one that had stood out also happened to be a recent purchase. White with short sleeves, the dual ‘floral’ print was made from 100 percent cotton. 

The shirt wasn’t as fitted as Kurt was used to, so he had wisely decided to pair it off with a vest to give his torso a more flattering tailored shape. Deciding which vest--or rather, waistcoat since he wanted a more fancy air about him--would go best with the shirt had been quite the undertaking. In the end, Kurt had opted for his plain black waistcoat, which fit him like a dream (or a teenage dream according to Blaine). With the bulk of his ensemble finally selected, Kurt had moved onto the bottom portion, and the formidable decision of which pants he should wear had begun. 

As much as Kurt loved skinny jeans and how amazing his butt looked in them, he felt that dinner with his boyfriend’s parents wasn’t the proper setting for such attire. The last thing Blaine needed was any stimulating distractions, so Kurt went through his less snug pants options, once again trying on every pair he owned before he managed to make up his mind. The pants (or trousers as the British called them) Kurt was now wearing were a black cashmere blend by none other than Hugo Boss. 

The piece to resistance was Blaine’s generous gift of a black Givenchy silk-jacquard woven tie that was decorated with five point stars (because Kurt was his star). Its retail price of a hundred and seventy dollars had made Kurt feel more than a little spoiled, but he had been unable to reject such a thoughtful and considerate offering. 

Kurt fussed with his waistcoat until he was sure it was properly positioned and free of any creases. 

“You look fine, Kurt,” Quinn said. 

“ _Fine_?” He whirled around to face her. “Excuse me Quinn, but I need to look way better than _fine_ ; I need to look breathtaking!” 

“Blaine’s already head over heels in love with you, if you weren’t already aware, and as for his parents....” Quinn smiled lightly; as far as Kurt could tell, she was enjoyed his nerve-wrecked state. “Just be yourself and stop worrying so much.” 

Kurt took her words to heart by taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Quinn was right, he was overthinking things yet again. If Blaine were here with them, he would have said the same thing, but not before showering his boyfriend with flattering comments about how stunning he looked. Kurt was tempted to send him a preview text but that would spoil the chance to see Blaine’s delight firsthand when he arrived to pick him up. 

_‘You’ve got this, Kurt.’_ With his confidence regained, Kurt turned away from his mirror and started putting his clothes away. “Thanks for helping me out Quinn, I really appreciate it.” 

Quinn, who had gotten up off of Kurt’s bed, placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment. “You’re welcome, although I didn’t do very much.” With her job done, Quinn made her way to the door and opened it. “Good luck with charming the Andersons, not that you’ll need it looking like that.” 

Kurt was still chuckling to himself long after she saw herself out.  
__________________________________________________________________________

By some miracle, Blaine managed to calm down enough to safely drive over to pick up Kurt from Carlyle Lodge. It was hard not to let the anxiety building up in him overwhelm the giddy excitement bubbling through his body. Blaine was almost beside himself, but who could blame him; he never thought the day would come when he’d be introducing an actual boyfriend to his parents! 

Blaine bounded up the front path of Carlyle and rapped on the front door. His heart sank a little when it was Adam, not Kurt, who opened it up to greet him. It figured that Kurt was still up in his room trying to convince himself that he looked all right (the loveable fool). He couldn’t wait to put his mind at ease and gush about how Kurt had outdone himself. 

“Hello Blaine, ready for the big day?” Adam asked, inviting him in with a wave of his arm. 

“Hi there, Adam,” replied Blaine, who gave the R.A a friendly smile. “I’d like to think so.” 

“You’d better get up there; Kurt’s been beside himself with worry over wanting to look his best for the occasion.” 

An affection smile spread across Blaine’s face. “Of course he has.” 

True to Adam’s words, Blaine found Kurt lost in his thoughts and fluttering around the room to busy himself. Kurt didn’t even notice Blaine as he entered the room, so he didn’t see the moment when his breath was taken away. 

_‘He’s so gorgeous,’_ Blaine thought as his head began to clear. Hold on. What was he thinking? Gorgeous didn’t even begin to describe Kurt, who had somehow gone past Blaine’s wildest expectations and taken stylish to a whole new level! From head to toe, Kurt Hummel was a work of art worthy of being on display at the British Museum! 

Swooning backwards, Blaine managed to steady himself after a couple shaky steps. Somewhat recovered, he approached the opened door and tapped on it to alert Kurt to his presence. 

Kurt turned around to smile at him and Blaine’s hearts started racing in his chest. “Oh there you are, Blaine.” Rushing towards him, Kurt greeting his boyfriend with a peck on the lips. His eyes quickly scanned over Blaine’s body. “My aren’t you looking exceptionally handsome today.” 

Trust Kurt to focus on Blaine’s appearance before asking how he looked. It made Blaine feel slightly better about his attire: black trousers, white dress shirt with iconic red heart by Comme Des Garçons, and his beloved black with red outline tie given to him by his dad. 

“Oh, that's enough about me. Let’s talk about you and how fantastic you look, Kurt!” Grabbing hold of Kurt’s shoulders, Blaine drank in the splendor that was his boyfriend. “I loath to think about the inappropriate comments my mum will give when she gets a load of you, but I don’t even care about that--that’s how good you look, love.” 

Kurt’s cheeks were flushed red from Blaine’s high praises as he shook his head and playfully told him to stop. 

“Don’t we make the fetching pair; I’d say we’re all ready for dinner tonight, wouldn’t you, my dear Blaine?” Kurt asked in his British accent, which had improved but still needed a bit of work. 

“I dare say that we are indeed,” replied Blaine, who actually managed to bring back his old speech pattern on purpose. 

The couple headed downstairs once their cute little moment was finished and made their way to Blaine’s car. Blaine had been unable to keep his eyes off of Kurt the whole way, but he knew he’d need to manage as soon as they were off. It was not until they were both safely seated that Blaine turned his attention to the road, but not before giving Kurt a couple of playful looks. 

“So is there anything you want to debrief me about before we drive off?” Kurt questioned. 

Blaine smiled; he loved how Kurt had used the word ‘debrief’ instead of ‘warn’. It was so him. 

“Let me see…” It would probably be a good idea to describe his parents personalities for starters, but how could he do that without making them sound like total lunatics? Blaine didn’t want to confuse Kurt, or make his impending meeting anymore stressful. His past attempts to tell Kurt about his mum and dad hadn’t gone too well. Blaine had tried his best, but how in the world was he supposed to sum up his parents with simple words? 

Blaine decided to give it his best shot. 

“As I’ve said multiple times already, my mum will love you the second she sees you. So will my dad for the record, but I’ll get to him next. Melody Anderson is a force to be reckoned with for sure, but she’ll go to the ends of the earth for the people she loves. She’s always good for a laugh, and is the warmest person I’ve ever known…” 

Blaine figured he should continue his parent lesson as he drove. Once he started the ignition and pulled away from the curb he went on. “That being said, she can be quite unfiltered at times and speak her mind when the mood strikes her, or when someone gets on her nerves enough; you better look out when that happens.” 

“I like the sounds of her already,” Kurt commented. “But that was kind of a given.” 

“She’s easy to like that’s for sure, just ask her many fans.” 

“I take it she’s the boss of the family?” 

Blaine laughed. “More or less, but if my mum’s the head of the family then that means my dad’s the heart--not that she isn’t loving, far from it in fact. But onto my father, who is definitely the glue who holds the Anderson family together. He’s a very difficult man to put into words; he draws people in and is almost impossible to dislike. There’s a childlike wonder to him and yet, at the same time, he emits wisdom beyond his years. He loves to talk and can often prattle on endlessly about one thing, only for him to suddenly switch to another subject mid sentence.” 

“He sounds oddly familiar,” Kurt said with a playful chuckle. 

“I’m flattered you think so.” There was a time when Blaine thought he would never be able to live up to either of his parents--let alone be compared to one. Kurt had no way of knowing, but he had given the exact sort of encouragement Blaine needed right now. 

When they reached their destination, Blaine smiled at Kurt, who was nervously fidgeting in his seat, and took his hand. “Relax, they’re going to love you.” 

“I can’t wait to meet them, Blaine.” Kurt breathed, pausing to take it all in. 

Blaine squeezed his hand. His phone buzzed in his pocket--that must be his parents asking what was keeping them. He used his free hand to check and chuckled when his assumption proved correct. 

Holding out his phone so Kurt could read the text from his dad: ‘Are you on your way yet, son? We can hardly wait!’, Blaine replied, “Neither can they.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

In an unassuming corner of Cambridge, two young men walked hand in hand up the front driveway leading to a lovely looking urban home. From the way they were pressed tightly together, and along with their matching nervous yet giddy grins, the couple looked as if they were heading down the aisle on their wedding day, rather than to meet Blaine’s parents. 

Kurt silently coached himself as they reached the front door; the first thing he noticed was the wooden sign to the left of it. Painted royal blue, the words ‘Anderson Family’ were written across it in beautifully styled calligraphy. The homely touched suited the building, which seemed to be two stories. Matching rocking chairs stood to the right of the door, and flower beds and bushes surrounded everything as far as the eye could see. 

Everything felt so inviting, especially the mat at Kurt’s feet which t read ‘Welcome Friends’; that message instantly brought a smile to his face. It was exactly the sort of house Kurt could imagine Blaine growing up in, and not surprisingly Kurt loved it already. 

Blaine paused when they made it to the front door. “Are you ready? Because I feel I should warn you that my parents will probably pounce on you the second they answer the door and I’ll be powerless to stop them.” 

“I’m good Blaine, let’s do this.” 

It turned out that Blaine didn’t even get the chance to knock; the front door flung open before his knuckle could touch it, catching the couple off guard. True to Blaine’s warning, the two adults completely ignored their son and went straight for Kurt. Blaine’s mother managed to reach him first, and wasted no time with getting her hands on him. 

“Here you are at last Kurt, welcome to our humble home,” Melody said, her hands resting on Kurt’s shoulders. “I must say, you are even more handsome than the photos Blaine showed us lead me to believe.” Her assessment of Kurt’s appearance was quick and to the point. “I always knew if my son ever had the sense to fall in love it would be with someone absolutely stunning, and I was right. Kurt my dear, you are positively scrumptious!” 

“Told you,” muttered Blaine, who was blushing slightly, but still smiling. 

Blaine’s dad rushed up to Kurt and shook his hand before any sort of reply comment could be made. “Blimey it’s good to meet you in the flesh, Kurt. John Anderson, Blaine’s father obviously. It’s a pleasure, and well overdue.” Once he finished vigorously shaking Kurt’s hand, he turned his attention to Blaine and lightly elbowed his son in the ribs. “Nicely done son, Kurt’s quite the looker.” 

If John had intended on whispering quietly enough for Kurt not to hear, then he had miscalculated. 

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Kurt said with a stunned smile. He looked at Melody next and added, “Both of you.” 

“Easy there now,” Blaine muttered, wedging his way in between his parents and Kurt to create a safety barrier between them. 

Melody, who had already released Kurt before her son had intervened, let out a throaty laugh. “You’ll have to forgive us, this is the first time Blaine’s brought a boy home.” 

“We were beginning to wonder if he ever would!” John exclaimed. 

“Mum, Dad _please_ ,” Blaine hissed under his breath; his cheeks had gone from pink to full on red. 

Apparently oblivious to his son’s embarrassment, John asked, “What? Kurt had to have known that already.” 

Kurt fought not to laugh at the Anderson family’s antics. This explained so much about his boyfriend. It made him wonder what other adorable traits Blaine had inherited from his parents. At first glance, Blaine’s appearance didn’t resemble either adult much, but as Kurt studied them more, little traits began to catch his eye. Melody’s curly locks were the most obvious, although Blaine’s hair didn’t have nearly as much volume. As for John, father and son got the same twinkle in their eyes when they smiled.

There was more to it than that though; Kurt couldn’t place it exactly, but the otherworldly wisdom Kurt felt from Blaine whenever they were together was almost identical to John’s. Blaine’s description of him was spot on as well; Kurt felt pulled in from the moment he had rushed up to shake his hand. It was an almost dazzling effect that Kurt hadn’t fully recovered from yet. But whatever it was, in his heart Kurt knew it was a good kind of feeling, which kept him from worrying too much about it. 

“If you haven’t already guessed, this is my mum,” Blaine said.

“Melody Anderson.” Her kind smile was almost the mirror image to her son’s.

Kurt grinned right on back. “It’s a honour. I’m sure Blaine’s told you already, but I love your books. Thank you so much for letting me read the newest one before its release date!” 

“You’re most welcome. Remind me for us to exchange numbers so I can hear any feedback you may have. Blaine and John do their best, but they’ve become horribly bias over the years. They’re terrified to make any sort of criticism, even when it’s completely justified.” 

“You see what I have to put up with,” Blaine whispered to Kurt, who muffled a giggle. 

“Anyway, now that we have all been properly introduced, how would you like a guided tour, Kurt?” Melody asked. 

Kurt grinned. “I’d love one.” 

While Melody may have been the one to suggest it, it was John who took charge of the tour, bounding ahead to point out every item as they went. Kurt hadn’t thought hearing anecdotes about household objects could be so entertaining, but that was John Anderson for you. He had a way of making even the most humdrum thing sound so interesting; he truly had a gift for gab, and he knew how to use it for good. Kurt found himself chuckling away, both from John’s jokes and Melody’s cutty remarks, as she added her own observations. 

Blaine was keeping oddly quiet during the show, but a quick look at his boyfriend’s beaming face showed that he was enjoying himself just as much. 

As he was shown around, Kurt studied the home with interest, noting every detail with wide-eyed wonder. What looked like your average suburban home on the outside was anything but once he had stepped within its walls. But the differences weren’t so extreme that anything appeared out of the ordinary. The Andersons had created a whole new normal--one that brought a bit of magic to the mundane. Almost every surface in the home was stuffed with knick-knacks, ornaments, and in the case of the ceiling in the foyer, a beautifully crafted crystalline chandelier that sparkled as the light hit it. 

So many items in one place should have felt crowded, but that wasn’t the case; as Kurt followed John (no he should call him Mr. Anderson) around, he came to the same conclusion wherever he looked: every piece--no matter how different--fit, and looked as if it belonged, somehow fully complementing everything at the same time, and creating the perfect combination of classy and cluttered. 

Kurt smiled to himself as he followed Blaine and his parents down the stairs after looking at the upper levels. “I gotta say, I love your house, Blaine.” Especially his childhood room which hadn’t been changed since he’d moved out. Kurt had noted the posters of various male heartthrobs, and wholeheartedly approved of his boyfriend’s tastes. 

Mr. Anderson whirled around with a big grin on his face. “I’m happy to hear you say so, Kurt. I’ve found it often takes a special sort of person to truly appreciate this place.”

Blaine placed a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “You should see what Kurt’s done with his dorm room dad, and my flat for that matter. I think you and mum would both approve.” 

“We’ll have to have stop by sometime for tea then,” Mr. Anderson replied. 

“There you go inviting yourself over places again,” his wife said, sighing. “You’ll have to forgive him Kurt, he means well.” 

“Oh, no it’s fine. I’d love if you both were to drop by sometime.” 

Mr. Anderson leaned closed to Blaine and whispered, “Never let him go.” 

The tour came to an end when Mrs. Anderson lead the men to the dining area where a lovely set table awaited them all. “Shall we sit down to dinner then?” she asked. 

“A splendid idea, dear.” Smirking, Mr. Anderson rubbed his hands together. “Wait until you see--or rather taste--what I’ve whipped up for us tonight, boys. You are going to love it!”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Dinner ended up being as delicious as John had claimed. Everyone had seconds, or as much as they dared to eat without upsetting their stomachs. Blaine managed to hold back enough so he could have dessert still, which was the same for Kurt, who had devoured his cake with relish (not literally--it was chocolate forest). When the meal was over, Kurt had offered to help tidy up, but Blaine’s parents had declined his kind offer and sent him off to the living room to relax. They would have done the same to Blaine, except he insisted on sticking around long enough to share some of the workload. 

After Blaine had dried off the last plate, he’d gone in search of his boyfriend, who he found reclining on the living room couch with a content grin on his gorgeous face. 

“There you are love, making yourself at home I see.” 

With a peck to Blaine’s lips when he was close enough, Kurt sighed with dreamy content. “It’s hard not to when I’m being spoiled so much.” He wrapped his arms around Blaine’s shoulder as they snuggled up together. “And what about you Blaine? How are you feeling?” 

“I’m good,” Blaine answered. “It’s been a long but surprisingly pleasant day.” 

Kurt eyed him playfully. “Did you think it was going to be that bad?” 

“Not so much bad, but more embarrassing. You see how my parents can get on.” 

“I’m glad today went better than you imagined then,” Kurt said. 

“I’d say the same thing, except I never imagined this day would come at all.” 

Kurt’s smile changed into a frown. “I dunno why you seem to think you are so unworthy of being loved, Blaine.”

Oh, how Blaine wished he could tell Kurt the truth at this early stage, and take him to see the Tardis hiding in their backyard shed. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option, at least not yet, and Blaine wasn’t about to drop the bomb on Kurt that abruptly, for that matter. Since he couldn’t tell Kurt the real reason, Blaine decided to put his creative juices to the test as he thought of a believable alternative answer. 

“Is it that you’re afraid that love won’t be enough or something?” Kurt asked out of the blue. 

Blaine blinked up at him. “How did you know?” Had he been too careless? 

“Because I feel the same way Blaine, more than ever after meeting your parents. The three of you are so incredible, I feel like I pale in comparison to your brightness.” 

“Kurt, you have it all wrong. I’m the one who feels tiny compared to your greatness.” 

“Actually boys, I think you’ve both got it right and wrong at the same time,” a voice from behind the couch announced. 

Looking up in unison, Blaine and Kurt saw that John was standing with his arms crossed against his chest. Blaine recognized his expression; he was into his deep philosophical thinking mode. “Care to hear an old man’s advice?” 

“Always,” Blaine quickly replied. 

Kurt nodded in agreement. “Lay it on us, Mr. Anderson.” 

“No one is insignificant, nor should anyone feel less special because of someone else’s accomplishments. Everyone and everything on this earth, from the smallest insect to the tallest tree deserves to be here, as we all do. While we might not live long enough to learn what those reasons are, you shouldn’t spend what time you have worrying if you’re good enough for each other.” A warm expression spread across Mr. Anderson's face. He wasn’t looking directly at Kurt or Blaine; his gaze was far off, as if he were reliving a moment from his life that related to his speech. 

Mr. Anderson seemed to realize his momentary lapse and he chuckled with a shake his head, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. “What I’m trying to say is, instead of worrying if you measure up, why don’t you focus on how much you mean to each other?” 

“And I thought no one would be able to do father-son talks as well as my dad,” Kurt said. 

Mr. Anderson laughed. “I’m flattered.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he turned all boyish and flustered. 

“Are you blushing?” asked Blaine. 

“Am I not allowed to?” 

Mrs. Anderson chose that moment to stepped into the living room and unknowingly save her husband from any further embarrassment. “Here you all are, getting along I hope?” 

“I was just giving the boys some advise,” Mr. Anderson explained. 

“If that isn’t a formal welcome to the family, Kurt, then I don’t know what is,” she said, grinning at them with mischief in her eyes. 

Blaine buried his face in Kurt’s shoulder to hide from his parents’ smirking faces. Kurt didn’t feel nearly as embarrassed, in fact he was enjoying the playful attention. As much as he didn’t want to get too ahead of himself, Kurt couldn’t help but hope that one day (in the far off future) they really would become an official family. 

But that was years away, so Kurt didn’t let his mind wander with the possibility for too long. What mattered was that Kurt was with Blaine and his parents, and having the time of his life; as far as he was concerned, who could ask for more?  
______________________________________________________________________________

“Finally!” Blaine said with an exasperated sigh, hanging his jacket on the coat rack. “I never thought they’d let us leave.” 

He was over-exaggerating of course; his parents hadn’t actually tried to keep them from leaving for the night. In normal circumstances, Blaine would have been only too happy to watch Kurt get along with his family so well. But try as he might, the _plans_ that he and Kurt had made for the remainder of the evening kept popping into his brain. At first, Blaine thought he was the only one who was growing impatient. Kurt, it seemed, appeared to be perfectly happy to prolong the night for as long as possible. 

But when they had been alone for a brief moment, Kurt had pressed up against him and whispered, ‘I’m dying to go to your place’, and that was it. Suddenly Blaine’s waning patient had run out, and he was raring to go! 

“You’re the one who said yes when your dad suggested we play charades,” Kurt pointed out. 

“I still can’t believe they destroyed us that easily.” The category had been musical theatre for heaven sakes! He and Kurt should have crushed them; instead, they kept on missing on each other’s cues and guessing the wrong words. 

Kurt took one look at Blaine’s pouting face and smirked. “Put those sad hazel eyes away, Blaine; we’ll redeem ourselves when we challenge them to a rematch.” The amusement in his eyes suddenly switched to something more… sensual, and then--if that weren't devastating enough--Kurt’s mouth curled into a sizzling grin. 

The game was on (and Blaine wasn’t talking about charades). Now this was the type of signals Blaine wanted to receive from Kurt, who was relaying his desire perfectly, as he advanced towards his boyfriend with an extra sexy swagger in his step. 

“But right now, there are far more _pressing_ matters for us to address, Blaine,” Kurt said, pushing the front of his body against Blaine’s to emphasize what he meant (which was completely unneeded, but very welcome!). Hooking his arms around his boyfriend’s waist, Kurt hands explored every inch of Blaine’s delicious behind before finishing things with a playful squeeze. 

“Sounds like my kind of night,” Blaine replied, and that was the last thing he was going to say for a while. Conversation was all said and good, but it was also equally true that actions often spoke louder than words. For the moment, Blaine knew which choice he wanted to go with, as did Kurt, whose hands were still firmly planted on Blaine’s ass. 

Blaine’s fingers brushed against Kurt’s neck and face, right as the couple shared a deep kiss. Thrilled excitement washed over Blaine, edging him onwards, demanding more and more after each subsequent caress. Being intimate with Kurt had made Blaine aware of how much he craved physical contact: the sensation of Kurt’s skin against his, the press of his body as they clung tightly together, and the way Kurt’s touch was the perfect combination of urgency and tenderness. 

Blaine wasn’t sure when Kurt’s hands had moved from his behind to his shoulders, but it hardly mattered. Three more electrifying kisses followed, and by then the sexual tension radiating between them was becoming truly unbearable for Blaine. Time to escalate things. Grabbing onto Kurt’s arms for leverage, Blaine, in an aggressive move, kissed Kurt so hard and so deeply that he couldn’t feel his toes for a second. 

At first, Kurt didn’t utter a word, he seemed to be too busy recovering as he breathed heavily. But then, he was back and ready to speak his mind, although his comment was short and to the point, and more muttered under his breath than clearly spoken. “Bedroom?” 

“Bedroom, ” Blaine agreed, refusing to let go of Kurt as they bounded towards the bedroom with matched vigor. 

The sexual tension that had urged the couple on was right there with them as Blaine and Kurt cleared the door--and was growing stronger by the second! As Blaine kissed Kurt over and over, his body shook with desire; it took everything in him not to throw Kurt against the door and take him where he stood! Okay maybe that was an exaggeration--especially since they were both fully dressed, but Blaine was in no mood to slowly disrobe.

Suddenly the clothes that Blaine had found so alluring to look at weren’t as much fun to remove. And to make matters worse, the pace was painfully tedious thanks to Kurt’s love of layers. It was touch and go at times, probably because there was a lot of touching going on in between the removal of clothing. They eventually got the job done, but only after Kurt took care of the more difficult fasteners. Thankfully Blaine’s outfit came off a lot easier (thanks again to Kurt’s skilled hands) and soon both of their ensembles were draped over Blaine’s desk chair (rather than the floor; eager or not, they weren’t animals!). 

Finally nude and ready for the next step, Blaine crawled onto the bed. Kurt was right there alongside him as they laid down together. While Blaine’s hearts were racing, he wasn’t nearly as nervous as he thought he would be. But then, they weren’t rushing into things; they had taken their time and had spent the last week getting used to what each other liked, and what worked and what didn’t. 

Kurt kissed the side of Blaine’s mouth. “Do you have the necessary supplies on hand?”

“They’re right within our reach actually,” Blaine replied, pointing over to said items at the top of the bed. 

“My aren’t we well prepared.” Kurt’s voice was deliciously flirty with equally sensual sounding undertones--it was enough to drive Blaine wild, and his boyfriend seemed to be well aware of the fact.

Kurt ran his hand down Blaine’s side, slowing down when he reached his hips. Goosebumps formed on Blaine’s skin from the contact; sending delightful shivers down his spine. 

This was really happening. Blaine was hopelessly in love with the most wonderful man on earth, who loved him and wanted to be with him--body and soul. 

Leaning over to decorate Kurt’s shoulders with kisses, Blaine said, “Anything for you, love.”

“I’m glad we decided to give fingering a try last night. I’m feeling a lot more…” Kurt paused, either to drag things along, drag his fingers down Blaine’s thigh, or to come up with a proper word. Whatever it was it worked for Blaine, and his body, which was rising to the occasion, and eager to respond to Kurt’s teasing strokes. “Confident, or less nervous at the very least.”

“So am I.” The night prior had been interesting that was for sure, and while it had taken a lot of trial and error, the end result was very gratifying. 

The only subject they hadn’t gotten to was who would do what when it came to their first foray into penetration. Kurt had suggested (after they were fully worn out and about to crash) that they should save it for another day--meaning tomorrow night--which had finally arrived, and Blaine was still as indecisive a day later. 

Kurt reached for the tube of lube and flashed him a sly grin; he was up to something. 

“So Blaine, I’ve been… _thinking_ …” 

“Have you now?” 

“About which one of us should top for our first time,” Kurt continued, using his free hand to lightly graze against Blaine’s groin. “And I think we made it clear that we want to try it both ways, so whoever tops this time can bottom the next…” 

As much as Blaine enjoyed gazing at Kurt’s adorable face, he really wanted to move things along. Should he pounce on Kurt and rev them up a bit before Kurt finally got to the point perhaps? He knew which option his throbbing cock would prefer, but then again, sometimes being patient was the better choice--for a minute or two anyway. 

“I know if I asked you what you wanted you’d say you’d want me to decide, and then I would say I didn’t want to be selfish and then--” 

Oh no, Kurt was beginning to ramble. Plan A it was then! Blaine pushed his chatty boyfriend down on the bed and kissed him hard. Any concerns that he’d gone too far were quickly dashed when Kurt kissed him right on back. 

They rolled around on the bed making out for a bit before resuming their conversation. 

“Tell me what you want Kurt, who knows, I might want it too.” As Blaine persuaded Kurt with words, he also used his hands to coax his cock to stay nice and hard. 

“I want to fuck you, Blaine,” Kurt blurted out. 

The lack of hesitation in his voice, along with the intensity Blaine saw in Kurt’s eyes was all the convincing he needed. Gulping down the catch in his throat, Blaine nodded; he knew he should say something else, but he was so shaken up by Kurt’s fixed gaze. 

“Okay,” Blaine breathed a second later. 

Grinning, Kurt kissed Blaine long and hard, waking up all of his senses until he seemed to be thoroughly convinced that he was really sure. There was little time for recovery as Kurt laid down beside Blaine and reached for his cock. Even though it was still hard, Kurt starting stroking Blaine’s cock until his boyfriend moaned with pleasure. Leaving the condom alone for now, Kurt got the lube and applied a generous coating to three of his fingers. 

All it took was Blaine to give him a simple nod of consent before Kurt got to business, starting off with a single finger to ease Blaine into the sensation of being penetrated. Just as before, Blaine groaned softly as Kurt eased him open; thankfully he was taking his time, and only added a second finger when he knew Blaine was ready. 

“Feeling good?” Kurt asked; he sounded so much more confident than he had last night. 

Blaine hooked his arms around Kurt’s neck, pulling him down for a deep kiss. “It’s good, too good actually!” He let out a sharp gasp as new waves of pleasure coursed through his body. “You’d better let up or else I’ll come and then where will we be?” 

“Frustrated I’m sure, but not totally put out.” 

Blaine laughed. “I’m almost--” The sound he made was barely a gasp this time. “Oh, wow! How’d you manage to find my prostate so quickly?” He laughed again from how incredible the sensation felt. “I can only imagine how much better it will feel when it’s your cock in me!” 

“Speaking of which, are you--” 

“Yeah, I’m ready love; I want you inside me.” Blaine breathed in quickly when Kurt removed his fingers. He picked up the condom package and handed it to Kurt, who took it and let Blaine help with rolling it onto his ready cock. Once it was in place, a thick coating of lube followed and that was it, there was nothing left to do but go for it. 

“Blaine,” Kurt murmured as he sunk down, kissing him for a brief interlude before he lined his cock up to Blaine’s entrance. “I’ve wanted this for so long and now it’s finally happening.” With careful caution, Kurt began to push the tip into Blaine, pausing as his boyfriend tensed for a moment from the intrusion, but Blaine urged him on, whispering dirty nothing (sweet ones would come later) in his ear until they both relaxed enough to continue.

Blaine swore under his breath. The sensation of feeling stretched as Kurt pushed into him felt like nothing he had experienced before. New, and slightly strange, but ridiculously good, and the intimacy it brought heightened everything. He heard Kurt’s deep breaths, and felt them warm on his neck; he saw the pleasure on his boyfriend's face as he tentatively pushed in a little deeper. 

Luckily for the couple, the trust between them was as strong as their physical attraction for one another. Blaine was so grateful that his first time being a bottom was with someone like Kurt, someone who loved him enough to put his own needs aside to look after him. 

Kurt started to push with a little more force until he was finally all the way in. “Are you okay? It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

Smiling, Blaine shook his head. “No. It feels so good Kurt, you feel so good.”

“There goes our virginity.” 

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Oh, we lost that over a week ago.” 

Filled to the hilt, Blaine groaned as Kurt slowly pulled out until only the tip remained, and pushed back inside with a hint more force than the first time. He cautiously repeated this action a few more times before Blaine’s body adjusted enough so that he could respond to his forward thrusts. 

“I’m good Kurt, you can go faster,” Blaine muttered, urging him on with fevered kisses. As their pace quickened, Blaine stopped thinking about what was happening; instead, he focused on how it felt, he simply gave into the sensation. “Fuck!” 

With his arms propped up on his elbows on either side of Blaine, Kurt was only able to grunt his boyfriend’s name as he rocked his hips back and forth. 

Wanting to help them along as much as possible, Blaine lifted his legs up so he could cross them over Kurt’s lower back, giving more access (and deeper penetration, he soon discovered). The amount of pleasure the slight adjustment created brought tears to Blaine’s eyes! 

“That’s it, almost, oh god yes!” Blaine blurted without knowing what he was actually saying. 

“You’re so tight Blaine, I can’t--” Panting heavily, Kurt arched his back up to shift their position slightly. “I’m not gonna last much longer.” 

When Blaine felt that Kurt was trying to slow down, he clung tighter to him to urge his boyfriend to keep moving. The trick worked, and not a second too late because suddenly Kurt’s cock slammed against his prostate and that was it. Crying out Kurt’s name, Blaine’s body went rigid as he reached orgasm. His toes curled as he rode it out and tried to savour the sensation, but most of it barely registered in Blaine’s brain. 

Kurt’s climax followed soon after, and Blaine was lucky enough to catch the exact moment when it hit him. 

“Wow,” Kurt remarked, collapsing on top of Blaine when it was all over. 

“I know.” Blaine moved Kurt’s bangs away from his face so he could see his eyes. 

“Was that as good as I think it was?” Kurt asked as he gently eased out of Blaine and mustered enough energy to properly throw the condom away. 

Laughing, Blaine pulled Kurt down until his face was nestled against his neck. “It was amazing. Thank you for being so good to me, Kurt.” 

“You would have done the same thing, and you will… once we’re ready to go again.” At present, Kurt showed no signs of wanting to move, let alone going for a second round. 

Blaine was pretty much in the same state, and it took everything left in him to help clean up the aftermath and have a good rinse off in the shower. By the time they crawled back to the bed, the only thing Blaine wanted to do was have a good long cuddle (and maybe a brief nap). Lying side by side, Kurt and Blaine were so close that their noses were touching. Nothing but contentment and love were on their sleepy faces. Blaine was so comfortable he didn’t mind if they were to end up going to sleep for the night . It had been an eventful day after-all. 

Blaine had always tried to not think about what his first time (in a sense) would be like. It had been so far off in the future, why bother wondering? And yet, he had been unable to stop himself from wondering, and from hoping, that when he was finally intimate with someone, that it would mean something.

He was so lucky that he and Kurt had found each other.

“Blaine?” Kurt questioned, bringing his attention back down to earth. 

Blaine shifted himself until his head was comfortably resting on Kurt’s shoulder. “Sorry, I’m right here with you, love.” 

And that, out of all the vastness of the universe, was where Blaine wanted to be; in the arms of Kurt Hummel, the man that he loved with all of his two hearts.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

The following afternoon Blaine was humming merrily to himself as he put on a pot of tea after a satisfying morning. As if waking up with a naked Kurt in his bed hadn’t been good enough, rousing Kurt with sweet caresses that didn’t remain chaste for very long had been even better. Before he knew it, they were both wide awake and Kurt was eager for Blaine to get his turn at topping. 

Blaine’s mind was still reeling even though three hours had passed since then, and he didn’t expect to come down from his high for the rest of the day (if not the week). As far as he was concerned, he was on top of the world!

He was just putting the finishing touches on their tea when Kurt walked into the living room carrying Blaine’s laptop computer. 

“Blaine, you have the most recent version of Skype on your laptop right?” 

“I do, why do you ask?” 

Kurt turned the computer around to show that he was making a skype call as they spoke. “Cause my dad just texted me saying he’s home and free to talk, so I thought this would be a great chance for you two to meet.” He went over and placed the laptop on the table. “Feel up to it, honey?” 

“That depends, are any of the hickeys you gave me last night visible?” Blaine’s web camera was top of the line and had amazing clarity (thank you Dad). 

“You’re fine. Why do you think I suggested you wear a long sleeve dress shirt today?” 

Blaine joined Kurt at the table. “Then I’d love to meet your dad.” 

With no real time to mentally prepare himself, Blaine put on a brave face as Skype finished loading and Kurt’s dad, Burt, appeared on the screen. He had heard a lot about the man from Kurt of course, and looking at him now, he seemed so… normal. Not that normal was a bad thing, far from it; Burt Hummel looked like your average father. He must have had a day off because he was wearing his everyday look of a plaid shirt and baseball cap, rather than the suits he wore for his job as a congressman. At first glance, Blaine didn’t see much of a resemblance with Kurt, but when Burt caught sight of Kurt and smiled, he saw plenty of proof that the two were closely related. 

“Hey Kurt, thanks for taking the time to chat.” Burt paused to take note of Blaine, who was sitting quietly beside his son. “Even though you’ve got company.” 

“Actually it’s Blaine who has company; we’re in his apartment right now. I thought it would be the perfect chance to introduce you to each other.” Kurt placed his hands on Blaine’s shoulder to begin the process.“Dad, this is my boyfriend…” 

The drag in sentence clearly told Blaine that Kurt wanted him to finish. “Blaine Anderson.” Since he couldn’t shake Burt’s hand in greeting he went with a little salute (and regretted it instantly). “It’s good to meet you finally.” 

“Burt Hummel, and the feeling’s mutual.” His grin went away for a moment as he seemed to be sizing Blaine up. “It’s funny, I could have sworn Kurt told me you were a local there…” 

A light went on in Blaine’s brain when he suddenly realized what Burt meant. “Oh, you mean my voice?” Blushing--and not just because he should have said ‘speech pattern’ for his reply to make actual sense, Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s something I’ve been trying out, I suppose.” It suddenly dawned on him that he was going to spend the rest of his life explaining his lack of a British accent to people. 

“Blaine wanted to sound more mysterious, and in his defence, it sure worked on me,” Kurt explained as he rubbed his boyfriend’s shoulder for added support. 

Burt smirked at the happy couple. “Hey whatever works, right? So tell me about yourself Blaine; Kurt’s been weirdly tight lipped on any details about you.”

“Only because I wanted Blaine to tell you himself,” quipped Kurt. 

The next hour went by in a flash, proving that the saying ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ was accurate, at least in Blaine’s case. Somehow he managed to answer all of Burt’s questions and be absolutely charming (according to Kurt) in the process. Blaine loved the chance to hear about Kurt’s life before he had moved to Cambridge, even when it was clear that not all of the stories were so pleasant. The confirmation that Kurt’s time in Ohio had been difficult at times only made Blaine’s pride for his courageous boyfriend grow stronger. It wasn’t long before Blaine was singing Kurt’s praises during the Skype call (but not literally), and Burt started gushing along with him until Kurt begged them to stop. 

Blaine found himself wondering what Burt would think of his parents if they were to meet someday in the future. Would he find the Doctor’s overzealous personality too much to take, or would he fall under his dad’s charm like almost everyone seemed to. River would win him over in a second; she always knew how to get people to like her. The fact that the fated meeting wouldn’t be able to happen for a long time made it easier for him to remain calm about the possible scenario. He had half a mind to suggest they do a test meeting first over Skype (possibly during Christmas holiday) to see how things would go. 

Blaine made a mental note to mention the idea to Kurt at some point during the afternoon. 

“That went really well Blaine. I could tell that my dad liked you a lot,” Kurt said, closing Blaine’s laptop once the call was finished. 

“If you say so.” Blaine saw Kurt narrow his eyes in response and he chuckled. “I’m obviously kidding, love.” 

They had made plans to go out for dinner and good thing too because Blaine’s stomach was rumbling. Extending his arm to Kurt, the happy couple walked together towards the front door, which Blaine opened so Kurt could go through first, although he refused to let go of Blaine’s arm as he did. 

“I can’t help but wonder if our parents will get along. You haven’t even met Carole yet either, so that needs to happen next before she starts sending me hourly reminder texts.” 

“I hope they’d get along as well as we do.” Blaine comment brought on another smirk from Kurt. “You know what I mean.” 

There was one way to ensure the meeting went well: if Blaine and his parents didn’t need to hide their true identities from Kurt and his family. Less than a month ago the sheer thought of letting anyone know their deepest secrets would have sent Blaine into a panic. There were so many reasons not to; he and Kurt hadn’t been together for very long, so how could he know they were destined to be together at this early stage? They were both so young, and Christmas was mere months away. It was sheer lunacy to even think he should tell Kurt the truth yet. 

And yet, as Blaine snuck a glance at Kurt’s gorgeous profile on their way to his car, he knew in his hearts that it was the right choice. Kurt deserved to know. Whatever happened to them from this point on, even if they grew apart, Blaine didn’t want to hide who he was from the man he loved for much longer. 

He’d need to talk to his parents first, but he already knew what their answer would be. If he could wait things out for a few more months then all could be revealed. Blaine could already picture the look of wonder on Kurt’s face as he walked into the Tardis for the first time. 

Christmas couldn’t come soon enough!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Either the populace of Cambridge was too preoccupied with their smartphones, or the strange blue box that had just materialized out of nowhere was old news already. Blaine had expected to see a crowd of people surrounding the Tardis when he opened the doors, but there was no one there. There weren’t many people around to begin with, and the few who were kept walking (or driving) right on by! It was unbelievable. Blaine finally understood what his dad meant when he kept insisting that ‘the best way to blend in is to act like you belong.’ 

The Doctor did have a point Blaine supposed, and it was equally true that his dad had been appearing in the Tardis on earth for years with anything going wrong. ‘Well hardly ever,’ the Doctor had quickly added. 

At least his dad had agreed that they shouldn’t show up right in front of his flat, to be somewhat cautious. He didn’t want anyone noticing that the Tardis kept appearing in Blaine’s neighbourhood. An extra ten minute walk was well worth it in his mind. One could never be too careful, especially when your father was a Time Lord with a love for adventure.

Blaine still did his best to nonchalantly slip out of the Tardis just to be safe, while his dad followed him a moment later whistling a cheery tune. It hadn’t taken too much convincing on Blaine’s part to get his dad to go with him; the Doctor had been all for it actually (now that Blaine and Kurt were finally together). Blaine had kept quiet during most of the outing, and did his best to follow the Doctor’s lead. With the help of his dad’s physic paper, Blaine had gotten what he had desired: two deluxe- package tickets to the long-sold-out official Downton Abbey tour! 

Now the hardest part would be waiting until Sunday came around for the big reveal.

“I’d say that went very well, wouldn’t you? Neither of us needed to turn on the old Anderson charm,” the Doctor announced, as he snapped his fingers to close the doors on the Tardis. 

“Thanks for coming along with me dad.” Blaine hated to think what would have happened if he’d gone alone. 

Heading off towards Blaine’s flat, the Doctor gave his son a big grin. “That’s what fathers are for; I’m always here to give you a lift whenever you may need it.” 

In this instance, the ‘lift’ his dad was referring to hadn’t been a simple car ride home; father and son had boarded the Tardis bound for Hampshire England, which was where the famed ‘Highclere Castle’ resided. 

“I can’t wait to see the look on Kurt’s face when he sees the castle for the first time,” Blaine said. This was going to be the best one-month anniversary ever! 

The Doctor merely chuckled at his son’s excitement, but once they were safely inside, his light-hearted expression took a more serious turn. “Blaine, have you been keeping up with your video glossaries at all?” 

“Um…” Blaine stalled, unable to think of any good excuses. “Not really, no.” 

“I suspected as much.” The Doctor’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly. “I understand how distracted you’ve been with recent events,but try to remember that your mother and I made those videos for your benefit.” 

Blaine nodded. “I’ll get back on track with them starting tonight.” Kurt would understand if they called it an early night--even if he couldn’t actually mention the real reason why. 

“How far along are you?” 

“I just started the one about Time Lord gene structure.” That had been more than a week ago; Blaine had tried to stay focused, but Kurt had kept sending him flirty, suggestive text messages. 

Shaking his head, the Doctor took a seat on Blaine’s couch and rested his feet on the coffee table. “That one was a nightmare to film. It took us well over ten takes to make a proper cut of it.” Unable to keep still, the Doctor folded his long legs up and bent forward to rest his chin in his hands. “I hope you can make sense of it all.” 

“It’s not your fault that any other Time Lords who might have procreated with humans before you, never bothered to keep open records,” Blaine said with a smirk. 

“They wouldn’t dare admit it if they had!” The Doctor let out an awkward laugh. “They were a rather exclusive lot.” The pain from his dad’s dark past concerning his lost homeworld was still visible even now, but Blaine was relieved to see that he bounced back from it a lot quicker these days. “And then there’s River and her unique gene structure to consider as well.” 

Blaine could only imagine what the Time Lords would say about a human child essentially becoming one of them, by mere exposure to the time vortex while in utero! River might be considered more Time Lady than human now, but she still only had one heart. 

“I know there are many questions we don’t have answers for yet. You may be a bit of a genetic enigma, but that’s what makes you special Blaine, you are one of a kind,” the Doctor said, slipping his arm around Blaine’s neck and hugging him. 

Chuckling, Blaine patted the Doctor’s shoulder. “Like father, like son.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

_~Two Days Later~_

“I know you Blaine; I can tell you’re up to something…” Kurt said, glancing at his boyfriend with narrowed eyes. “What happened to us agreeing we didn’t need to do anything special for our one-month anniversary?” 

So much for trying to act normal then. In Blaine’s defense, the surprise he thought he was managing to keep from Kurt was a big one. Blaine wondered what had tipped Kurt off. He may be one of a kind, but Blaine was still a teenage boy who had flaws just like any other earthling. It was true that he’d been smiling a lot right now, but the fact that he and Kurt were lying naked in bed, post sex, should have explained that well enough. 

They were in Kurt’s dorm room this time; sex hadn’t been in their plans, but Blaine figured it was the perfect distraction for the both of them. 

_‘Shows what I know,’_ Blaine thought with amusement. 

With no escape (or not without leaving the bed), Blaine decided to fess up, at least to a point. “You can’t blame me for wanting to show my love for you, Kurt.” 

“No, but I can feel guilty if I’ve got nothing to show it in return, if you pull some grand gesture on me.” 

Blaine kissed the end of Kurt’s nose, but his boyfriend’s tightly pursed lips didn’t relax from the show of affection. 

“Blaine, we’ve been through this already; it’s super sweet of you, but we should really save the big stuff for our one-year anniversary.” 

The fact that Kurt sounded so sure that the momentous day would come, filled Blaine with so much joy that he forgot the point of their conversation for a brief second. He couldn’t think of anything that could top what he had planned for Kurt this weekend. Well, aside from a well thought out marriage proposal that included a musical number, but that truly was thinking too far ahead! 

Kurt started pulling away from Blaine, who stopped him in his tracks by wrapping his arms around his waist. 

“Sorry love, it’s too late to stop now; the plans have already been made, which you’re not going to be able to pry out of me no matter how hard you try,” Blaine said. 

The sensual grin Kurt gave Blaine sent shivers down his spine; it was a good thing he was still too worn out to respond to it any further. “No? My dear Blaine…” Two hands skillfully traveled down the sides of Blaine’s body and stopped at his hips. “I think you’ve vastly underestimated my sexual wiles here.” 

Blaine’s body jerked when Kurt fingers inched dangerously towards his groin, but he was quick to recover and launched his own attack on his his boyfriend’s neck. 

“This is so unfair,” Kurt whined, not even trying to stop Blaine from sucking on his neck. 

“How about this,” murmured Blaine, and kissed Kurt on the lips to switch things up a bit. “I promise I’ll tone it down after this if you enjoy my surprise this Saturday without feeling guilty about it.” 

Kurt was this close to crumbling. All Blaine needed was to call in the big guns. It was time for puppy dog eyes and fluttering his lashes for good measure. Blaine moved back enough for Kurt to get the full view of his sad state. 

Kurt’s lip quivered slightly before he let out a heavy sigh of defeat. “Fine, but this had better be it, Mr. Anderson.” 

“You’re the best.” Blaine replied.

Now that Kurt knew there was a secret coming, things would be much easier for Blaine to keep from revealing anything more. That is, as long as Kurt remained patient--and Blaine was more than willing to reward him for his patience.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Friday finally came around, which left only one more day until Blaine and Kurt’s anniversary on Sunday. After much discussion, Blaine had agreed to letting Kurt take him out the following day for a day-long date. While Blaine wasn’t exactly sure what was in store for him, he did know that it involved fake IDs (Sam had let that fact slip). Normally the idea of going to a pub to drink--or even worse, a club-- would have struck terror in his hearts, but if Kurt was involved, well then, that was a different matter. 

The idea of dancing up close with Kurt in a room full of fellow gay men didn’t seem like such a bad idea. 

Blaine had just finished up the one class he didn’t have with Kurt, and was due to meet up with his boyfriend so they could spend a quiet night together (in preparation for the weekend, apparently). They were nearly done with Downton Abbey, and he was dying to know how the series ended, even if it meant he’d shed a lot of tears in the process. Luckily for Blaine, Kurt was an excellent shoulder to cry on. 

Off in his happy little world, Blaine draped his book bag strap over his shoulder and made way for the classroom exit. 

The sole other person in the room, who was an attractive looking women with her dark hair done up in a bun, turned to Blaine as he passed by her desk. “Oh, Mr. Anderson, a word if you please.” 

Stopping in the doorway, Blaine turned to see who had addressed him. A quick assessment showed it was the teacher, or rather, the substitute, who had been taking over vocal class for Mr. Keaten. Blaine admittedly hadn’t paid much attention to her, aside from remembering her name, and noticing she had an impressive vocal range. 

He wondered what she wanted from him. “What can I do for you, Miss Layrite?” Blaine couldn’t think of anything he’d done wrong,so he wasn’t too worried. 

“There’s a matter I need to discuss with you, one that needs immediate attention,” Miss Layrite explained, as she slowly inched closer towards him. 

Had he been so caught up in his relationship with Kurt that he had begun to lag in class? Blaine found the likelihood very hard to believe; he’d completed every one of his assignments on time, and had gotten more than adequate (some would say impressive, even) marks. 

“What seems to be the problem?” 

At first, any tension Blaine felt was due to his worry over not pulling his weight in class, but then he noticed the way Miss Layrite was looking at him, and suddenly everything changed. Blaine’s posture went rigid, as she advanced on him with what sure looked like hunger in her eyes. 

No. That couldn’t be right. There was just no way; he had to be reading her wrong, or something. CVSAV was a well distinguished school that employed the finest teachers and professors who would never think to… Oh no, had she just licked her lips at him? 

Sweat beaded down Blaine’s neck when Miss Layrite did an about face and went back over to her desk. His relief lasted for barely a second as he watched her sit on its edge with her legs provocatively crossed. 

Miss Layrite had to be at least in her mid-to-late thirties, and while she was quite beautiful, her conduct was completely uncalled for. Blaine was at a loss as to how to deal with it. Should he stutter out some excuse and shuffle off without further word? Should he call her out on it? Either way, Blaine was definitely going to need to report her as soon as he left the room. 

“There’s no need to be worried, Mr. Anderson; the work I’ve seen from you has been quite impressive. Your grades, as I’m sure you already know, are top of the class. What I wish to speak with you about is a whole different matter.” Miss Layrite leaned forward ever so slightly, showing off her impressive cleavage (when had she undone the first two buttons of her blouse?) “You’re very clever… don’t think I haven’t noticed.” 

Blaine stepped backwards with his hands defensively held up. “If this isn’t about my grades then I think we’re done here.” 

“So soon? But we’ve only just started,” Miss Layrite said, giving a sensual pout. 

“I think this has gone on long enough,” Blaine muttered, hurrying off before she could get another inappropriate word out. 

He was almost in the clear when the door closed shut out of nowhere; Blaine’s attempts to force it open were futile. Glaring, he whirled back to look at Miss Layrite and saw that she was still casually sitting on the desk acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. 

“Most men in your situation would say they were flattered,” Miss Layrite continued. 

“I’m not most men.” For one thing, he was gay, and taken, but that information was none of her business, and not something he was going to announce. Blaine didn’t need to make excuses for himself, what he needed to was take action! “I’m calling the head office.” 

Miss Layrite waved Blaine’s threat aside. “Oh, I think not.” 

Blaine didn’t like the sound of that, or the fact that his mobile wasn’t getting any signal; what in the blazes was going on? 

“I’m not letting you go just yet, Mr. Anderson,” she said, rising from the desk to strut her way over to him. “You see, you have something I want…” 

“Whatever it is, you’re not going to get it.” As much as Blaine tried to act tough, he soon found himself with his back pressed up against the door and Miss Layrite approaching him. The personal invasion sent off triggers in his mind; he needed to get out of here! What would his father do in this situation? Try to talk his way out of it? What about his mum? River would probably deck her in the face. Blaine wasn’t sure he could manage either of those options. 

“You almost had us,” Miss Layrite said, her hand inching towards Blaine’s face. “It’s rather embarrassing how long it took us to track you down. You may have thought you were safe by changing your whole identity, but you cannot hide what you truly are, not from us anyway. You’re far too unique…” 

Blaine slapped her hand away before she could touch him, but Miss Layrite barely batted an eye. 

“But now, at long last, I’ve got you right where I want you, _Doctor_.” 

Blaine’s world came crashing down after hearing one single word, or rather, a name; all the colour drained from his face. He was trapped, with no means of escape and thus forced to face a scenario he never could have imagined (or anticipated). Any attempts to move his legs proved futile; he was too paralyzed by fear. 

“What did you call me?” Blaine asked, not bothering to hide his utter confusion when he had recovered enough to speak. 

Miss Layrite laughed. “Oh, please, what sort of fool do you take me for? It’s too late, we’ve already uncovered the truth. There’s no mistaking the genetic code of a Time Lord; we’ve been hunting your kind for centuries, and now that you’re the only one left, we can no longer afford to make any further mistakes.” 

“I dunno what you’re getting on about, but I’m not a Doctor, I’m only a freshman…” 

“Save your innocent act for someone who doesn’t have the highest technology at their disposal; it took us some time to confirm it, but we’re completely certain now that you are in fact the Doctor, last of the Time Lords.” 

Where was a sonic screwdriver when he needed one! Blaine was angry at himself for having no way to contact his parents.

“Your attempts to erase yourself from history did last for a while, but even the most failsafe plan can begin to crumble. You really should have stayed more under the radar, or at least gone to a planet that you were less known to frequent.” Miss Layrite said, as she kept herself up close and personal

A smug smile spread across her face; she must have noticed Blaine was shaking. “There, there Doctor, there’s no need to be shy; you’ll be coming with us. I think you’ll find the science facilities aboard our ship quite to your liking.” Now her grin took a sinister turn. “Not that you’ll have any access to them.” 

Blaine was in full escape plan mode, as he tried to think of what he should do. A sudden thought popped into his mind, and he decided to go for it before he could talk himself out of it. Using one of his dad’s old ploys, Blaine rushed forward and kissed Miss Layrite full on the lips. His move must have caught her totally off guard because Blaine was able to shove her to the floor. Using every ounce of strength in him, he forced the door open enough to slip through. 

Legs flying, Blaine charged down the hall, but he knew in his hearts that he couldn’t run forever. He’d never forgive himself if someone on campus got hurt because of him. So against everything in him, Blaine slowed his pace and came to a full stop only when he was sure no one was around to get in the way. 

Blaine tried his phone again, but it was still disabled; Miss Layrite must have done something to it. 

“Shame on you for taking advantage of a woman like that. I cringe to think what living with this planet’s crude inhabitants has done to your manners, Doctor,” a loud voice called down the hallways. 

Where was everyone? Blaine hoped that the lack of people wasn’t because of an ominous reason… 

Miss Layrite was idly making her way down the hall, and she wasn’t alone; two leather-clad figures with what looked liked biker helmets were matching on either side of her. “The Traxalore are not one to be trifled with, so I would advise you start behaving and turn yourself in before you make a complete fool of yourself.” 

The name didn’t ring a bell, Blaine didn’t even know if the Traxalore was an alien race, faction, or some sort of company. There had been no mention of them in the video glossaries, nor had Blaine ever heard his parents utter the name, but that wasn’t too surprising. His dad didn’t like to talk about his past enemies anymore than his mum did, and the videos had only covered the Doctor’s top five nemeses so far. 

“Sorry, never heard of you,” Blaine announced. “I take it your appearance is some clever disguise?” 

Miss Layrite (or whatever her name actually was) looked down at her generous figure. “A necessity needed to infiltrate your strange choice of a hiding spot. It wasn’t as if the woman I modelled myself after was doing very much with her life. On the whole, the race you conveniently look like isn’t much of anything. Quite frankly, it’s an insult to your incredible DNA to pretend to be anything but the remarkable being that you are.” 

What Blaine needed to do was stall while he tried to figure out a way to disable their dampening field. 

“I’m not who you think I am,” Blaine said as he reached into his pockets. He either needed to find another means of communication, or get far enough away to be free of the field. The lesser known, lower maintenance areas of the campus came to mind. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a few tricks up my sleeve still.” 

Using the Doctor’s reputation to his advantage, Blaine, in a big dramatic move, threw something at his would-be kidnappers. Just as he had hoped, the group ducked in anticipation, giving Blaine the moment he needed to dart off in a mad dash. 

By the time Miss Layrite and her goons realized that the projectable was nothing but a ballpoint pen, it was too late; Blaine had a big lead on them. “After him and make it quick,” she ordered. “We can’t afford to lose him.” 

Blaine ran like he had never run before, barely registering anything as he went; he didn’t have as big of a head start as he would have liked. The leather-clad thugs were gaining on him, judging by the sound of their heavy footsteps. Blaine swore under his breath; he still had another corridor to go before he could head down the stairs. He didn’t want to run into someone before then, as they could become a liability he couldn’t afford right now. 

Adrenaline urged Blaine onwards; he was nearly there. Then, all of a sudden, his phone rang, and he steadied his hands so he could answer it. 

“Dad! Thank the maker you called me. I need your help!” Blaine shouted at the screen. 

But it wasn’t the Doctor’s voice who replied. “Blaine? What’s going on, are you--”

“Kurt!” 

Before he could hang up, Blaine turned the corner and saw Kurt ahead of him with a worried look on his face. 

“Blaine?” 

Never bothering to stop, Blaine grabbed onto Kurt’s hand and yanked hard so his boyfriend had no choice but to follow. “Run!” 

“What’s going on?” 

“There’s no time!” Blaine checked his phone. “I need to call my dad before--”

The leather-clad thugs suddenly appeared from around the corner with Layrite close behind them.

When she caught sight of Blaine she bellowed, “There he is! After him you half-wits!” 

Kurt, who was doing his best to keep up with Blaine, asked, “Who are those guys and why are they chasing you?” 

“I have no idea!” Blaine was too busy trying to remember the school’s interior to explain the situation. “This way, we need to turn right or we’ll be trapped in a dead end!” Now that Kurt was with him, the stakes rose to dire proportions, even more so now that Miss Layrite was close enough for the bloody dampening field to be working again! 

Blaine hated to think how terrified and confused Kurt must be as they frantically ran through the hallways. But whatever he was thinking, Kurt still had the sense not to bombard Blaine with questions. 

“Time to be the hero and give yourself up Doctor, you wouldn’t want anyone here to come to harm now would you?” Miss Layrite’s ominous voice called out; how close was she? Blaine couldn’t see her, but that didn’t mean anything. 

Desperate to keep themselves far ahead, Blaine tugged hard on Kurt’s arm and cried, “This way, hurry!” 

There had to be something he could do! Someone he could call for help! Why hadn’t he set up some sort of emergency distress call with his parents? This was all his fault. If Kurt came to harm somehow… 

All of a sudden, Blaine’s thoughts came to a halt when he and Kurt were forced to do the same. The fire exit door he had been expecting was nowhere to be seen! Where had he gone wrong? 

“Fuck!” Blaine shouted, whipping his head back and forth. When he realized his mistake, he swore again. In his moment of fear about Kurt’s well being, Blaine had made a tactical error and gotten the hallways mixed up and sent them to the very dead end he’d been trying to avoid. 

Kurt’s tight grip on Blaine’s hand reminded him what was at stake, thus making it easier to do what his father would in this situation. After quickly assessing the area, and confirming that there was no means of escape, Blaine forced his jumpy body to stop moving. Kurt understandably frowned at his boyfriend in confusion, but not for very long. Blaine quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him into a nearby utility room. 

“Blaine!” Kurt shouted as Blaine shut the door. 

“I’m sorry, there’s no other way. Don’t come out until you're sure it’s safe.” Blaine heard the loud footsteps; this was it then. “I love you.” 

Moving away from the door, Blaine bravely marched towards his captors and didn’t stop until he felt he was a safe enough distance from Kurt. He wanted to look back at the utility closet to be sure that Kurt was safe, but he didn’t want to give his location away. With arms outstretched to show he was unarmed, Blaine surrendered himself to his captors. 

“If I agree to go quietly, will you leave this planet in peace?” Blaine asked softly.

“Gladly, you are the only reason we are here at all. This planet has nothing else worthy to offer us.” Layrite snapped her fingers, and her two goons grabbed him from each side. 

Knowing that earth would be safe, made it easier for Blaine to accept his fate. His only regret was the pain that Kurt and his parents would go through after he was gone. It was strange, he wasn’t that afraid of dying--if that even was his future. The idea that his parents might come to his rescue didn’t even enter his mind. The attack had come so out of the blue, and right under their noses, that the shock of it was keeping hope from entering Blaine’s emotionally numb mind. 

Blaine didn’t fight as he was put into a pair of high-tech handcuffs that were made of some sort of force field. 

“Be careful with the test subject; his DNA holds the most valuable secrets imaginable. We can’t have his precious body damaged before we’re able to see what makes him tick.” Miss Layrite reached into her blazer jacket to bring out an advanced looking tech object, and then Blaine heard a sharp click. “I cannot wait to see what secrets we can unlock from your genetic code.” She let out an evil laugh. “The age of the Time Lords is finally over for good! It’s the Traxalore’s turn now!” Her malicious expression was still there as she brought out a large surgical needle full of a bright blue liquid. 

The last thing Blaine registered as the needle pierced his neck, was a blinding light surrounding them all.  
__________________________________________________________________________

Cast into darkness, Kurt couldn’t move at first, both from the shock of what just happened and from the fear that it was real. His human instinct to survive eventually kicked in, and urged him to do something, anything! Blaine was in danger! But Blaine had told him not to come out until he was sure it was safe. 

_‘How will you know it’s safe until you look? And what about Blaine? You can’t let them take him!’_ Kurt’s voice of reason shouted at him. 

Kurt’s fierce love for Blaine pushed him to move; little by little, he inched towards the door. Should he put his ear to it and try to listen for any signs of life? No, there’s no time for that! Placing his shaky hands on the door, Kurt cautiously opened it a crack and peered out into the hallway. 

Blaine was a few feet away standing bravely in front of the same three figures they had both been running from moments ago. 

What was going on? What did these people want with Blaine and who were they? Kurt sort of recognised the woman as a substitute teacher, but he couldn’t place her name. Why did she have what looked like hired thugs dressed in leather with her? 

Before Kurt could ask any more mental questions, the woman pulled out a needle and injected it into Blaine’s neck! Kurt’s eyes widened and he shot up into a standing position, but his rescue attempts were thwarted when a blazing light surrounded the three of them, and suddenly they were gone! Like a scene from a Star Trek rerun, Blaine and his captors had dematerialized without a trace left behind. 

Kurt stood at the door with his mouth hung open. This couldn’t be happening. He had to be dreaming. His uneasy legs gave out from under him and he slid to the ground, sobbing over the loss of Blaine.

“Blaine,” Kurt cried, burying his face in his hands. 

Partly, Kurt wanted to simply give up and keep crying in a curled up ball; what could he do anyway? Call the police? And say what? That Blaine had been kidnapped by aliens? He knew if he were to say anything like that, he would be shipped off to the nearest psych ward for an evaluation. Besides, the police wouldn’t put out a search warrant for Blaine until at least forty-eight hours had passed. 

Crying more from frustration now than sadness, Kurt willed himself to act! He was wasting precious time here. The only thing Kurt knew was that he couldn’t do this alone, so he fished out his phone and called the only person he thought could help in his time of need. The dial tone rang for what felt like ages, allowing regret to force its way in Kurt’s mind. _‘This was a bad idea. He’s not going to believe--’_

“Kurt!” A delighted voice chimed, stopping Kurt’s thoughts. “What a pleasant surprise, you calling me up like this.” Mr. Anderson’s warm voice helped Kurt remember what was at stake. “Did Blaine and you have something planned with River and me that I’ve somehow forgotten?”

“No,” Kurt said, forcing the word out of his mouth. “Blaine… he’s gone…” More tears welled in his eyes; all of the hysteria that had been building up suddenly tore through his emotional walls. “They--” Kurt choked up and broke down crying again, his entire body shaking from the strain of it all. “They took him…” 

“Deep breaths, Kurt,” replied Mr. Anderson.

Kurt did as he was told, but it didn’t make him feel better. 

“Good, now then, who took Blaine?”

“I don’t know!” Kurt blurted. “It happened so fast! We were running, and then he was gone!” Kurt was too upset to register the fact that Mr. Anderson hadn’t asked what he was talking about. 

“Kurt, you need to tell me what happened exactly, so we can find Blaine…” Mr. Anderson said in a soothing voice. 

Taking another deep breath, Kurt forced himself to think back on what had exactly happened. “I don’t know who took him. Some teacher lady and two guys in leather. They just… they just disappeared into thin air in a weird beam of light!” Remembering the moment when the needle went into Blaine’s neck was too much for Kurt to handle, and he cried out all of his frustration. Mr. Anderson didn’t try to stop him; he kindly remained silent as Kurt got it out of his system. He wiped his wet cheeks on his sleeve as he pulled himself together so he could continue. 

“Mr. Anderson, we have to do something before it’s too late.” Because the idea that Kurt would never see Blaine again was too terrifying to even consider. 

“We will Kurt, we will. Stay right where you are.” Mr. Anderson muttered something Kurt couldn’t make out before adding, “ _Don’t move_. We’re on our way to you now.” 

Crouched on the hallway floor still, Kurt was in no state to do anything else; he couldn’t have stood up right now, even if he’d tried. All he could manage was to fold his legs close to his chest so he could rest his chin on his knees. The phone, which was pressed to the side of his head, was his lifeline, and the only thing keeping what hope remained in him from fading away. Kurt listened as he heard the sound of shuffling fabric and heavy footsteps; Mr. Anderson was on the move, and shouting at someone--Mrs. Anderson, Kurt soon realized. 

“I’m at school,” Kurt croaked, but there was no immediate reply. The signal down in the lower levels of the building must be pretty bad because Kurt was getting some strange feedback. He swore he could hear a weird wheezing sound that went quiet and then grew louder in a back-and-forth pattern. “Mr. Anderson?”

“Sorry! We’re nearly there, Kurt! Just hold on!” Mr. Anderson yelled over the feedback. 

The connection cut out before Kurt could ask him anything else. “Hello? Mr. Anderson?” Nothing. He tried to call him again, but there was no answer there either. _‘He must be driving.’_

Kurt put his phone on the ground beside him, forced himself to sit up, and sighed. It was so quiet. Where was everyone? Sure this part of the school was only used for storage and maintenance, but someone should be around. The absence of people caused a chill to run down Kurt’s spine. What if whoever had kidnapped Blaine was the reason? Kurt was too numb from shock to go on a hunt for people--or heaven forbid--any bodies. 

The looming silence was suddenly broken when the strange wheezing sound Kurt heard on the phone came back. Going by how loud it was, whatever was making the racket should have been right in front of him. But there was nothing there. 

Except something was there--for a split second anyway. The object appeared again, and Kurt was able to make it out. Royal blue in colour, it looked like an old-fashioned phone booth, but also not, because it was bigger. 

Backing away from the unexpected anomaly, Kurt watched with wide eyes as the structure appeared in and out of vision in time with the noise. When it came back into view one more time, it remained, and Kurt saw the words ‘Police box’ on the front doors. Kurt had barely accepted its presence as reality when the doors opened and Mr. Anderson, who looked as wild and wide eyed as Kurt, came rushing out. 

“Kurt,” Mr. Anderson said in a soft voice. Stopping a few steps from him, he held his arms out in front of his body. 

“Is he here?” asked Mrs. Anderson, who appeared out of the blue box and looked around. 

Mr. Anderson nodded and turned his attention back to Kurt. “I’m so sorry Kurt. I’m sorry that you had to go through this on your own. It’s my fault; I got careless, thinking we were safe, and now look what’s happened.” Kneeling before Kurt, Mr. Anderson reached out to gently touch Kurt on the head. 

When Kurt looked up at Mr. Anderson, he saw something odd lurking behind his warm smile. A darkness in his eyes that didn’t go with the man Kurt thought he knew. Confused by the difference, Kurt breathed, “Who are you?” 

Mr. Anderson didn’t show any alarm to the question. “I’m the Doctor, Kurt.” 

Frowning in confusion, Kurt wondered what having a doctrine had to do with this situation, and why had he used _the_ instead of _a_? “Doctor who?” 

“That never gets old no matter how many times I hear it,” Mr. Anderson said, chuckling. “Although it’s been awhile.” 

Mrs. Anderson was hurrying around the immediate area with a device that looked like a high tech pen of some sort. “I’ve located Blaine’s signal from his mobile; the signal is weak, but it should be enough to follow.” 

“Then we don’t have a moment to lose.” He turned to look at his wife. “Get the Tardis ready; Kurt and I will be along in a moment.” Once she was gone, Mr. Anderson turned his attention back to Kurt, who was still in a state of shock, and held out his hand in offering. “Come along Kurt. I know this is a lot to take in, and I’m sorry there’s no time for the long explanation, but we need to go if we’re going to save Blaine.” 

Kurt’s courage came rushing back at the sound of his boyfriend’s name. Taking Mr. Anderson’s hand, he was pulled to his feet and urged towards the blue box in front of them. “Where are we going?” And how were they going to save Blaine? 

“We’re going for a bit of a ride to track Blaine down, which won’t be easy, but the Tardis is up for it.” Mr. Anderson came to stand behind Kurt and gently pushed him by the shoulders through the open doors of the blue box. “Sorry for this, Kurt.” 

Before Kurt could ask what he meant, his world was suddenly turned upside down as he looked around at the vastness around him--vastness that went far beyond the size of the box he had just stepped into. Kurt rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Nope. No change. 

“It’s…” Kurt whirled around as he took in the immense space. A warm orange light engulfed the room, making its copper-coloured walls (or was that due to the light?) gleam and shine. Panels with large holes lined the walls, giving the space a curved round appearance. In the middle of the room was some sort of control panel where Mrs. Anderson was busily moving levers and pressing buttons. “Either I’ve gone off the deep end or it’s bigger on the inside!” Kurt blurted, his eyes (and his head) still spinning from the surprise of it all. 

Mr. Anderson left Kurt to his amazement so he could join his wife’s efforts for a brief moment. “How is it looking? Can you sneak us in undetected?” 

“Have you forgotten who you’re talking to, sweetie?” Mrs. Anderson remarked with a quick smirk. 

“Right, my mistake. Call me if you need me.” Kissing his wife on the cheek, Mr. Anderson went back over to Kurt’s side. “I’m sure you have many questions for me, Kurt.” 

Kurt nodded. “Tons.” Too many to ask actually, so Kurt went with the most pressing ones. “Where are we? How can it be bigger on the inside? Where are we going? How are we going to save Blaine?” The spaceship (because what else could it be?) began to shake and whirl, causing Kurt to stumble forward. Mr. Anderson steadied him by holding onto his shoulders. “And what did you mean when you said you were the Doctor?” 

“It’s my name. I’m the Doctor. John Anderson is an alias I came up with to keep Blaine safe. We’re on the Tardis, which stands for ‘Time And Relative Dimension In Space’. It allows me to travel in time and space. We’re going to use it to find Blaine and go after him, and as for why it’s bigger on the inside--we’ll save that long-winded explanation for when Blaine’s safe and sound.” 

“Does this mean you’re an alien or something?” 

“In a sense--I mean, I am. River--that’s Melody’s other name, by the way--River’s parents were human, but she’s more Time Lady now. It’s a long story, but that means Blaine’s part human as well. Oh, that’s what my race is called; I’m a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, Kurt.”

Nothing that Mr. Anderson--or rather, the Doctor--was telling Kurt was making any sense. But alien or not, Kurt knew in his heart that Mr. Anderson was their best chance at finding Blaine before he was lost forever. 

“What can I do to help?” Kurt asked with eyes ablaze. 

“What we need is information. Tell me everything that you know, every detail you can remember, no matter how small. I need to learn who we’re up against.” 

Kurt explained how he had come across Blaine running down the hallway at school with unknown pursuers hot on his tail. There wasn’t much to tell when it came to their harrowing run into a dead end, but some very important intel was given by the end of the story, when Kurt had said the name the woman ringleader had shouted with evil glee. 

“The Traxalore! I might have known!” the Doctor exclaimed. “Or I wish I had, because then this whole mess could have been avoided.” 

“I thought they had gone into hiding more than a hundred years ago?” River questioned. 

“They had the last I’d heard, which is why I never considered them a real threat.” The Doctor was clenching his fists so tightly his knuckles were turning white. “But they’ve obviously been more active than I had originally thought. This changes everything…” the Doctor paced back and forth in front of the console. “I was sure Blaine was being held for ransom, but now that we know it’s the Traxalore who’ve taken him… this is not good news.” 

Kurt’s heart skipped a beat. “Will they keep him alive?” 

“Yes, absolutely,” the Doctor answered without fail. “They’ll want a live test subject--at least at the start… it’s easier to extract genetic code that way,or so I’ve been told.” Rubbing his chin, the dark expression from before returned to his brooding face. “There’s still time, but not as much as I would have liked. The Traxalore have been after me for years; they’ve been bent on harnessing my Time Lord DNA so they can exploit it for their own personal gain, like they’ve done with countless other species.” 

River, whose eyes were glued to a small video screen, added, “They had a big run in with the Shadow Proclination more than a century ago, and everyone thought their operation had gone under.” 

“Obviously it didn’t; they must have gone into hiding, and become more subtle with their abductions.” 

“What do they want with Blaine?” Kurt questioned. 

“Blaine has almost as much Time Lord DNA as I do, and he is a genetic hybrid, so there’s no telling what secrets they may be able to unlock from him. He could very well be the missing link to successfully create a hybrid with all of the best abilities of the species they’ve accumulated so far. Even I haven’t been able to guess the full range of what Blaine’s DNA could hold…” the Doctor came to a sudden stop. “There’s no telling what they will be able to do if they…” 

Even though Kurt barely understood anything that the Doctor and River were saying, he could still tell how much danger Blaine was in from the desperation in their eyes. “What will happen to Blaine?” 

“They’ll keep him alive until they’ve gotten everything they need from him. After that, he will be in true danger… I’m trying not to think what they’d do to him. I’m having a hard enough time holding myself together as it is,” the Doctor replied, his clenched fists shaking by his sides. “My biggest hope is that it will take them a while to collect all the data they’ll want from him, since he is such a genetic mystery. ” 

With nothing left to do but try to remain calm, Kurt did his best to keep out of the Doctor’s and River’s way as they struggled to locate the Traxalore’s ship. As Kurt looked around the amazing space he was in, little by little the truth began to sink in. Placing a hand on the curved wall beside him, Kurt took a deep breath. This must have been the reason why Blaine had stalled on introducing his parents. Not only that, Kurt bet that Blaine’s secret alien heritage was the very thing that had made him swear off dating.

Kurt dropped his hand from the wall when the realization hit him. The surprise he felt didn’t include any anger towards his boyfriend though. How could he be mad when Blaine’s life was hanging in the balance right at this very moment? Even if it wasn’t, Kurt understood why he hadn’t said anything to him. Who in their right mind would have believed such an outlandish claim? Kurt certainly wouldn’t have, at least not without some sort of proof.

Kurt looked over at the Doctor and River who were bickering over the console. “Any luck?” 

“Almost…” The Doctor muttered, his fingers flying across the buttons in front of him. “No!” The swear word he uttered next was as loud as it was profane and completely out of character for Blaine’s dad. “The Traxalore are tricky; they don’t know that we’re coming, but they’re smart enough to keep their ship well hidden. Good thing I know something they didn’t count on.” He turned to his wife. “You give it a go dear; do your very worst, no holding back.” 

Winking, River gently pushed her husband aside to take over. “Just you wait and see. I’ve got more than just a pretty face.” 

“I’ve know that for years,” the Doctor replied, smirking. Although he didn’t touch her (as not to distract her from her work), his attraction to his wife was illustrated in his sparkling eyes. 

“Then why has it taken until now to give me full control?” 

The Doctor made a face. “I have not, or have you forgotten just last night when I--”

“How can you flirt at a time like this?” shouted Kurt, startling himself as well as the couple at the console. He should have been beet red with blushing cheeks, but he was far too annoyed. “Your son is in danger! How can you both be so fucking calm?” 

The fact that Kurt had dared to swear in front of two full fledged adults, who just happened to be his boyfriend’s parents, finally hit him. “I’m sorry.” He felt like crying, both from frustration and from the fear of losing Blaine. “I’m just so scared for him. I’m afraid of what they’re going to do to him… what if we don’t get to Blaine in time…” 

“We’re the ones who should be sorry, Kurt,” the Doctor said, nodding at River for her to continue her work. “It may not look like it, but River and I are complete wrecks on the inside; we’ve just gotten used to hiding our pain, both out of need and so we can keep running from our destinies.” The Doctor walked over to Kurt and laid a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find him. River and I are going to do everything in our power to get Blaine back fully whole and safe, or my name’s not the Doctor.” 

Now Kurt was the one to make a face, frowning with narrowed eyes. “Wait, you mean your actual name is ‘Doctor’?” He had to ask. 

“At your service,” he said with a small bow. “Now let's go find Blaine and bring him home!”

River did something on the console that made the Tardis violently lurch to life. “I'm way ahead of you, boys.” The dermitination in her eyes was chilling to behold. 

Kurt buckled down to keep himself from falling over. The sooner Blaine was back in his arms, the sooner Kurt would be able to breathe easy again.  
______________________________________________________________________________

When Blaine finally came to, he found himself strapped to a high tech hospital bed that used some sort of force field to hold him. His eyes had barely fluttered open as a sudden jolt of energy hit him without warning. Pain screamed through his body, making him yell out in unbearable agony. 

“Our honoured guest has finally awoken.” A feminine voice said somewhere close to him. “Bring the level down to two; we don’t want him passing out just yet.” 

Blaine’s vision slowly began to clear and forms around him started to take shape. He was in a big, brightly-lit room with equally bright white walls. Technology was everywhere. The large computer screens, testing machines and various security devices, it was a nerd’s dream come true, except in Blaine’s case, it was his nightmare. 

“How exquisite,” the same voice commented. “I’ve never seen such a complex DNA structure before.”

Unable to move, Blaine scanned his line of vision to see who had spoken. The person in question wasn’t human; _she_ (he assumed, judging by her voice) had grey-blue skin with large yellow eyes and, as Blaine studied her more, he saw that her hair was made of what appeared to be long sheen feathers in blue and green tones. Blaine noted how her elongated fingers were slender and dexterous, as they danced across the screen she was holding. 

The Traxalore wasn’t a species his dad had covered in the video glossaries (so far, but he doubted he’d find any info on them there) so he had nothing to go on, but Blaine assumed she was one of them. 

“Are we awake yet?” The alien woman asked. Blaine finally recognised her voice; it belonged to Miss Layrite (or whatever her actual name was). “Good.” Miss Layrite turned around to look at the readings on the large screen before her. “It was surprising to discover that you were telling the truth when you said you weren’t the Doctor. The last of the Time Lords has been busy, and judging by our scans you were a naturally conceived birth at that. In normal circumstances I would wonder how he could go so beneath himself, but he didn’t now did he. Your father somehow found a female who is almost as much Time Lord as he is--and yet not nearly. Whoever your mother is has some human DNA… the exact percentage is yet to be determined.” 

Another jolt of energy surged through Blaine. It was less intense than before, but still packed enough of a punch to make him scream out in pain. 

“It has been ages since we have had a genetic puzzle like you at our disposal,” Miss Layrite said, not bothering to look at him. “That’s enough for now; we don’t want to damage him permanently. There’s already too much data for our computers to sift through for the time being.”

Blaine forced his eyes back open; he needed to be strong, he couldn’t let them break him. 

“I was beginning to worry I wouldn’t live another century to see it, but here you are: the very specimen who will lead us to successfully harvest and mix Time Lord DNA.” Miss Layrite shuddered, the feathers on her head ruffling to display an even more stunning pattern of colours underneath the top layer. “I’m getting chills thinking about it.” 

Minutes passed as Miss Layrite reviewed her findings. Blaine didn’t bother to speak, he had nothing to say in any case. He had to hold himself together, because as hopeless as his situation felt, his mum and dad were out there, and as soon as they learned he had been taken, they would do everything in their power to find him. 

But would they make it before it was too late?  
______________________________________________________________________________

 _‘My boyfriend’s an alien,’_ Kurt thought to himself. 

He was sitting on a chair in the Tardis, holding on for dear life as the room rocked under the sheer force of what it was being put through. Blaine’s parents, who he now knew as the Doctor and River Song, heroes of the cosmos, were running around the centre console pulling levers and pushing buttons while they shouted at one another. 

_‘Wait, what if Blaine was born on earth?’_ Kurt wondered. His parents definitely were aliens though. Kurt had been ‘debriefed’ as much as the Doctor could manage while he tried to track Blaine down. Kurt now knew that Blaine’s dad was a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, and his wife River was a human who had turned Time Lady after being exposed to the time vortex in utero. Both had travelled through time and space for years (hundreds, if not thousands, in the Doctor’s case). 

The rest of their exciting story would have to wait until Blaine was located, which suited Kurt just fine since it would take some time for all the information he’d learned to fully sink in. 

Kurt watched the couple work together with awe; the fierce determination on their faces was a chilling sight. 

“I’ve got a lock on their ship!” River shouted, all of a sudden. 

The Doctor pumped his fist into the air. “That’s my girl!” 

“We’re approaching it now, but I can’t get a sense of size; their shields are interfering with the sensory readings.” 

“Doesn’t this thing have a viewing screen?” Kurt questioned. 

Bolting towards the front doors, the Doctor replied, “Brilliant, Kurt!” He swung them open to reveal a star filled outer space that would put any CGI shot from a Sci-Fi movie to shame. “Let’s see what we’re up against.” 

Kurt was already on the move; the temptation to see the cosmos was too great for him to resist. How could the Doctor just open the door like that and be fine? There had to be some kind of force field keeping their air in, or else they would have been shot out into space by now. 

“I’ve put us on stealth mode so the Traxalore won’t be able to detect us,” River said, as she joined the men at the doors. 

There was no chance of missing their target, not when the Traxalore’s so called ‘ship’ took up a huge part of their line of vision. The fact that they weren’t that close to it was another shocker; the ship was massive! It almost reached Death Star proportions, except it wasn’t planet shaped; it looked more like an oversized luxy spaceship than a destroyer of planets. 

Kurt gasped. “Wow, now that’s… big.” 

“Yes I’d say so Kurt; it seems the Traxalore have come up in the galaxy since I last encountered them,” the Doctor said. 

“Business must be booming then,” added River. 

“How in the world are we supposed to find Blaine in that?” Kurt exclaimed, pointing at the ship. 

The Doctor patted Kurt on the shoulder. “That’s why you’re with us Kurt, we’ll find him. Nobody messes with the Anderson family!” 

River, who must have gone off a moment ago, was back and armed with a gun. “Shall we go save Blaine, boys?” 

“You took the words right out of my mouth, dear.” The Doctor closed the Tardis’s doors and rushed back to the console to flip a lever. 

Kurt turned to River. “What should I do?” He wasn’t sure if they’d let him come along or insist he remain safe in the Tardis. 

“You’re sticking with us. I know the first thing out of Blaine’s mouth when we rescue him will be if you’re okay. You will be vital in Blaine’s recovery, and keeping the Doctor’s and my spirits up,” River said, laying a hand on his shoulder. 

It might not be much in the great span of things, but if emotional support was what the Andersons needed right now then Kurt was up for the challenge. He might not be a skilled fighter (not even close), and he’d constantly need to keep himself from panicking, but he did have one thing going for him: his love for Blaine, and that was all he needed. 

“I can do that.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Ever since Blaine had learned the truth about his parents he had longed to go on a real adventure, one that took him to a whole new world. Years of hearing about the many dangers his mum and dad had run from hadn’t discouraged that dream too much. How bad could it have really been? The Doctor had come away from every harrow escape, and lived to tell about it. 

_‘I was so naive,’_ Blaine thought with remorse; he had no idea what a sheltered life he’d lived up until this moment. 

Nothing could have prepared him for what happened. Blaine blamed himself rather than his parents; they had warned him to be extra cautious, and looked what he got himself into. 

_‘At least Kurt’s safe.’_ And the rest of the earth with him. 

Miss Layrite, because the one time Blaine had heard her real name he’d been too out of it with pain to remember it, walked back into the area where Blaine was being held. Just as she had before, she ignored Blaine’s pitiful lying figure, and went straight to the large screen and the two men standing in front of it. 

“Status report,” she ordered in a firm voice. 

The man on the right snapped into action; he had the same blue skin as Miss Layrite, but his eyes were a bright green, and his head feathers were solid black. “The complexity of the test subjects genetic structures is more than we originally anticipated. Even with our computers running at full capacity it will take time to break the code.” 

“Time is the last thing we have,” Miss Layrite snapped. “The test subject’s parents will surely notice he’s been taken, and when that happens we will have a vengeful Doctor on our hands.” 

Blaine, who was doing his best to struggle through the pain of the last wave of scans he’d gone through minutes ago, opened his eyes at the mention of his dad. If Kurt had managed to contact his parents, then the Traxalore’s fears could be correct. However small, Blaine used that glimmer of hope to keep himself strong, no matter how bleak things felt right now. 

“If we use any more power it will put a strain on our defences,” the second man remarked. 

Miss Layrite pursed her lips together. “I am aware of the risks, but sometimes sacrifice is necessary for the greater good. Everything that we do is for the advancement of the Traxalore.” 

“Yes Major Physician,” both men said in unison

Turning to face Blaine, Miss Layrite’s lips upturned ever so slightly. “We can no longer afford to accommodate for our test subject’s well being...” 

“That’s not my name,” Blaine croaked, using what energy he had left to speak. 

“What was that now?” Miss Layrite questioned. “Do speak up please.” 

Blaine stared at her. “I said I have a name; it’s Blaine. I’m a living being with a life of my own. Calling me your test subject doesn’t make what you’re doing right.” 

“And what about the inhabitants of your beloved earth, and the many atrocities they’ve committed since rising to the top of the evolutionary chain? Wars, slavery, the list goes on and on; compared to them, what we’re doing is barely a trifle.” With a wave of her hand she tossed Blaine’s notion aside and resumed what she had been saying before. “If time is not on our side, then we should rethink our priorities and move straight into unlocking the true power you hold, _Blaine_.” 

A chill ran down his spine; there was something in her tone that felt horribly wrong. 

“I thought we agreed to hold off on triggering regeneration until--” 

Miss Layrite silenced the man with a affirmative gaze. “We need power, and the residual energy which regeneration produces will be more than enough. It will allow us to go so deep into hiding that not even the Doctor will be able to locate us. There will be plenty other chances to study the effects.” Miss Layrite explained.

“He could overload our systems,” The first man argued. 

“Don’t forget your place; you may be the lead scientist, but I am the Major Physician of this vessel, and I didn’t obtain that position without taking a few risks. I’ll give you a little more time to go through the data we’ve collected so far before going ahead with triggering regeneration, so I suggest you use it well.” 

Blaine had stopped listening at this point; he was too hung up on the idea of being forced into his first regeneration. No matter how they worded it, they were going to kill him to do so, and yet his death was not what he feared the most. It was how he would be powerless to stop them; he could try to stop regeneration, but then he would truly die. Knowing the Traxalore, they would have a way of blocking his ability to do so. 

If regenerating meant there would be more time for his parents to find him, then so be it. But even though Blaine knew he’d live on, he couldn’t help worrying about how regenerating would affect his future. Would his family and the man he loved recognise and accept him if he had a completely different face?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I figured I couldn't have a Doctor Who crossover story without some sort of adventure in it. I hope it's as surprising to the readers as it was to the characters in the story. ;) 
> 
> You may have noticed I changed the amount of chapters to 16. That's because of the epilogue, which I'll post the same day as chapter 15.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

In full stealth mode (with the brakes off), the Tardis silently materialized in an empty room within the depths of the Traxalore mothership. The doors opened a crack as three heads popped out. From his spot on the bottom, Kurt looked around for any signs of life. He had no idea what to expect, and he felt terrified. He still hadn’t gotten over the shock that he’d be allowed to join the rescue mission. Kurt had been sure he would be asked to remain in the Tardis. It was only after they had explained that his job would be to look after Blaine, that Kurt had agreed to come along. 

The Doctor let out a loud breath of relief. “All clear.” 

“For now,” added River, bringing out her gun. 

“So what’s the plan?” Kurt asked. 

Cautiously stepping fully into view, the Doctor turned to Kurt, who had also ventured out, and grinned. “The plan is to locate Blaine, rescue him, and bring him home.” He brought out a device that Kurt now knew was the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver and began to scan the area. “This is the least populated area of the ship, but there will still be regular security scans so keep on your guard.” 

Kurt understood their need for caution, but it was difficult to keep himself from running off to find Blaine. “I hope he’s okay…” 

“For the Traxalore’s sake, he’d better be,” River commented; despite her honed concentration, Kurt swore he could see a hint of fear in her lazer-focused eyes. 

The Doctor’s energy was heightened as he darted back and forth in front of Kurt and River in his efforts to find Blaine. Kurt felt dizzy just by watching him whiz around. And yet, Kurt could see the similarities between the Doctor and his dad. They both had the same passion, and the same strong determination that couldn’t be shaken. It was humbling to watch. The same could be said for River, who had strategically positioned herself by the door to keep watch. No doubt about it, here was a team to be reckoned with. 

“Found the power source; hard not with how much energy they’re running. It’s six floors up. It’s bound to be heavily encrypted, but I’ve never come across a computer I haven’t been able to hack,” the Doctor said. 

Kurt wondered if that was true; for Blaine’s sake, he sured hoped so. 

River glanced back at her husband. “What about Blaine?” 

“Nearly got him,” the Doctor replied, furrowing his brows in concentration. “It’s rather difficult with the ship’s dampening field in the way. I haven’t been able to get a reading from his mobile… hold on, I think I’ve got it… yes!” The Doctor simultaneously pumped his fist and kicked into the air in victory. “Found him! He’s on the eighth floor, directly beneath the power source. I can’t get any readings on his condition, but he’s definitely alive.” 

Kurt placed a hand on his chest and let out a big breath of relief. 

“It’s remarkable. They’re running enough power to almost fuel an entire planet…” Scratching his chin as he spoke, the Doctor went on. “Breaking Blaine’s genetic code will be no easy feat. The Traxalore will need a great deal of energy to manage it. And time, lots of it, far more than they would like. They’ll be expecting us to come after Blaine, which means he’ll be heavily guarded. I’m sure that’s the reason why it’s so empty down here.” 

“I don’t like how much energy they’re using, it makes me feel… uneasy,” the Doctor muttered. 

Kurt fully agreed with the comment; his stomach was a knot of stress, and the worst part was that things were only going to get worse once the Traxalore discovered their presence--if they hadn’t already. For all he knew, a huge security team was on their way to apprehend them right now. What were they waiting for? They needed to act, not stay hidden on the lower levels! 

“We should get going while we still have the element of surprise, sweetie,” River warned from her guarding spot. 

“Way ahead of you dear. I’ve found the lift, or the Traxalore equivalent anyway.” The Doctor grabbed Kurt by the hand, and didn’t release him until they were beside his wife.

Blaine’s rescue party made their way down the brightly lit corridors of the Traxalore ship. Ignoring the space around them (not that there was much to see), Kurt did his best to keep up, using his long legs to his advantage. 

The lack of guards had Kurt on edge; he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that they were walking (or in their case, running) straight into a trap. 

“We’re close! One more turn to go!” the Doctor said, never slowing down for even a second; he was remarkably fast on his feet. 

The group’s luck ran out when they cleared the corner; there were, not one, but three leather clad thugs (the same type that had chased Kurt and Blaine at school) guarding the door ahead. It was too late to back track; they had been spotted!

“Oh dear,” the Doctor muttered under his breath.

Kurt couldn’t say anything; he was to frozen with fear. 

The thugs were equally silent as they aimed their formidable looking weapons at the trio. Before they could pull the trigger, three shots hit each of them square in the chest, sending them all to the floor. The counter attack happened so quickly, that Kurt didn’t realize River was the one who had saved them until the moment was over. 

“Inside, quickly,” the Doctor urged, waving his hand as they hurried past the fallen thugs into the safety of the transportation room. 

Using his sonic screwdriver to lock the door behind him (Kurt assumed anyway), the Doctor turned around to see what they had to work with. He wasted no time in going to the controls and bringing up data, which Kurt couldn’t make heads or tails of, despite it being written in English

“It’s only a matter of time before the guards will be found,” River said. 

The Doctor nodded. “It hardly matters at this point; both Blaine and the main power source are so heavily guarded we’d never make it to either.”

“Shall we move onto plan B then, sweetie?” suggested River. 

Nodding again, the Doctor brought out his sonic screwdriver and got right to business. 

“Which is?” Kurt prompted in an impatient tone.

“No matter how valuable Blaine is to them, the Traxalore won’t be able to resist getting their hands on a true Time Lord,” River explained. “And I’m sure they’d be interested in me almost as much.” 

Frowning, Kurt asked, “You mean you’re going to offer yourselves up as bait? For what purpose?” They would still be vastly outnumbered, and what if River and the Doctor were captured? There would be no chance in saving Blaine at all! 

“So we can call in our secret weapon of course,” the Doctor replied matter-of-factly, as if the plan made perfect sense. 

Kurt, who had expected the Doctor to elaborate, found himself being stared at. Hold on, did that mean… No it couldn’t be. Or could it? The Doctor and River were both looking right at him now. “Me?” Kurt blurted, pointing at himself as he blinked in disbelief. “I’m your secret weapon?” When River and the Doctor just grinned at him, he added, “Plain old human Kurt?” 

“Yes you, Kurt,” the Doctor confirmed, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re our trump card-if you’ll pardon my language; you’re the one thing the Traxalore won’t be expecting, and we are going to use that to our advantage.” He gave Kurt’s shoulder a supportive squeeze before going back to the console pad. “It’s not fail proof of course, but I know you can do it. I just hope Blaine will forgive me for putting you in harms way.” 

“You don’t have to do this Kurt; it’s your choice,” River told him. 

“River’s right. Sorry for jumping to conclusions before asking.” 

Kurt didn’t even have to think about it; yes it was dangerous, but Blaine would agree if the tables were turned. “I’m in. I dunno what I’m doing and I’m scared to death, but if there’s anything I can do to help Blaine, then count me in.” 

“Thatta boy! If only Blaine could see you now, he’d be so proud,” the Doctor cheered. 

What should have been a tender moment was interrupted when River suddenly snapped into action mode, raising her gun into position. Taking a defensive stand, she placed herself between Kurt and the door. The sound of heavy footsteps marching towards them could be heard, and it seemed like there was a number of them. 

Kurt paled at the idea of what approached on the other side of the door. 

“We’ve got company, sweetie,” River shouted to her husband, who was frantically working on the transporter. 

“I know! There, I’ve got it!” Jerking his hands at them and back to the transporter dish, the Doctor hit the activation button the instant all three of them were fully on the panel. 

The world around Kurt vanished in a flash of blinding light.  
______________________________________________________________________________

The first clue that something was happening was the increase of guards. Blaine had been in too much pain to notice at first. It wasn’t until his head cleared enough to start picking up on everyone’s unease, that he noticed. This had to be more than being short on time. Miss Layrite, who was sticking close to him and the main computer that was processing his DNA readings, kept lashing out at anyone in her proximity--Blaine included. If he had been in better spirits, Blaine would have tried to rile her up with snarky comments. 

The next tip off came when one of the added security guards dared to approach Miss Layrite in spite of her intimidating scowl. 

“Are you certain it’s them?” Miss Layrite said, her anger apparently keeping her from staying quiet enough for Blaine not to hear. 

“There’s no doubt Major Physician, our slab guards are hunting them down as we speak. They will be apprehended before they can do any damage to the vessel,” the guard replied. 

“They’d better.” Miss Layrite turned to look at Blaine. “It seems your parents have come for you, just as I anticipated.” A sinister grin spread across her face. “It will be so much easier to unlock all of your secrets once we can collect additional data from them.” 

Blaine wasn’t about to make any sort of reply--snarky or otherwise; he didn’t want her to know how afraid he was (both for himself and for his family). 

“Nothing? I admit I’m surprised that the Doctor’s offspring is so complacent. Not that I mind, it certainly makes things easier for us.” Miss Layrite didn’t try to touch Blaine as she continued to smirk at his pitiful state. “Perhaps we should run another painful scan and broadcast your screams? That’s bound to get daddy's attention, I should think.” 

Miss Layrite gazed down at Blaine, her smirk even more pronounced now. “How would you like that, Blaine? Have anything to say now?” 

“Forgive me for not begging for mercy,” Blaine said. Look at that, he could manage to say something snarky after-all (If only Kurt could see him now). _‘Kurt.’_ The mere thought of his beloved boyfriend brought an onslaught of courage. His parents were here to save him! This was not the time to give up, this was the time to fight--in any way he could. “Whatever you’re planning to do, it won’t work. You should give up and turn yourselves in while you still can.” 

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, son!” A voice boomed, suddenly. 

No longer smiling, Miss Layrite whirled around to see the Doctor’s face on the large computer screen behind her. River was faithfully at his side holding her gun in one hand and one of the Traxalore’s in the other. 

“Dad!” Blaine shouted. His parents were here! They’d managed against all odds and had found him. He wanted to jump up and shout for joy, but the energy field thwarted any attempts, as did the fatigue he felt from all of the painful scans and tests he’d been put through. 

The Doctor’s eyes welled up at the sight of his son lying restrained on the bed. “Hang in there just a little longer Blaine, we’ll get you out of here.”

Blaine blinked back tears. “Okay.” 

“How nice to see you after all these years, Doctor, although I hardly recognize you, what with that young new face of yours,” Miss Layrite said. “Your son is quite the genetic marvel; thank you for going to the trouble of fathering him.” 

Crossing his arms over his chest, the Doctor didn’t smile back at her. “In past cases, this would be the part where I would offer you a chance to redeem yourself. But not today. You’ve gone too far this time. The Traxalore are about to learn what happens when you threaten a member of my family. If you thought I was dangerous when we crossed paths years ago, you have no idea what sort of trouble you’re in now.” 

“We are not in a merciful mood, as you’ll soon find out,” River added. 

Before Miss Layrite could reply, the lights in the room dimmed and flickered. 

“What are you trying to do?” demanded Miss Layrite. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” The Doctor gave her a smug grin. “You should know better than to stress your computers so much. With all that power running, you could easily overheat the system. One wrong move and this entire vessel could go up in smoke…” 

Miss Layrite’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare, not when your _beloved_ family is on board.” 

“Oh, but this is me remember? I’m as unpredictable as I am clever,” The Doctor leaned in closer, looking her in the eye. “Can you really take the risk?” 

“I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you, Doctor. You may think that cutting the power will work, but we have all the energy we need…” Miss Layrite moved closer to Blaine and stroked his cheek. “Right at our fingertips.” 

Suddenly the Doctor wasn’t smirking anymore; a cold expression washed over him, one Blaine had never seen before. It would have sent shivers down his spine if it had been directed at him. His dad must have realized what Miss Layrite was threatening; it was all written on his sullen face. The Doctor’s eyes, which normally held so much life, were wide with fear, while his mouth was pursed tightly closed--no doubt to keep from voicing his true feelings. 

Without uttering a word, the Doctor moved his hand slightly and the video feed cut out. 

Blaine couldn’t even begin to imagine how his dad would counteract, but he knew it wouldn’t be good (for the Traxalore, anyway).  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Kurt turned away from the video screen that had shown Miss Layrite and Blaine to stare at the Doctor in confusion. “Why did you do that? What did she mean?” 

“They’re going to make Blaine regenerate so they can harness the residual energy to fuel their supercomputers,” the Doctor replied matter-of-factly, as if the information was nothing to worry about. 

It took Kurt’s overwhelmed mind a moment to fully comprehend what that meant. “Wait, does that mean… they’re going to kill him?” Launching himself at the Doctor, Kurt grabbed onto his shoulders. “But you said they wouldn’t do that!” 

Kurt watched as the Doctor’s stone-cold demeanor instantly melted into one of a father who was terrified of losing his son. Tears streamed down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Kurt…I should have told you sooner.” The Doctor cleared his throat and wiped his damp face with his sleeve. “When Time Lords face death, they end up changing so they can live on… it’s hard to fully explain, but it’s our outside appearance that changes. We’re still the same being on the inside--sort of--our personalities do tend to differ somewhat, but our memories remain.” 

“So they’re going to kill the version of Blaine I know and love?” Kurt shouted in outrage. 

The Doctor nodded. “In layman terms, yes, that’s it exactly, which is why we have no time to lose.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

“What are you doing?” asked Blaine as he watched Miss Layrite pick up a large hypodermic needle. 

“Preparing your fate: death by injection. We shall be killing two birds with one stone--to use an archaic earth phrase--because I’ve always wanted to see how a Time Lord would react to this formula before you reach your inevitable end, Blaine. And better yet, it won’t draw out for too long, which is in your favour as well. I wish I could say it won’t hurt, but it will, quite a deal I’m afraid, as you’ll soon find out.”

Her lack of a bedside manner was astonishing; Blaine didn’t know how she could talk about his death without a hint of empathy. 

Any attempts Blaine made to move, as the needle neared his neck, were futile, and yet, he still tried to fight. This couldn’t be the end. There was so much he wanted to do, so much he wanted to see. He hadn’t hugged his parents nearly enough. His time with Kurt had barely begun...

_‘I’m sorry, Kurt,’_ Blaine thought, closing his eyes. _‘I’m sorry I can’t spend my life loving you.’_

Blaine’s tightly shut eyes snapped open when he heard the familiar sound of the Tardis suddenly fill the room. Miss Layrite, who had been inches away from injecting the needle into Blaine’s neck, stopped the action when the Tardis fully materialized, and the Doctor and River burst through the doors fully loaded (yes, the Doctor was actually holding a handgun!). 

“Put ‘em up!” the Doctor barked, pointing his weapon straight at Miss Layrite. “Or I’ll shoot.” 

As far as Blaine knew, his father had never held a gun in his years of traveling, let alone threatened someone with one. 

“You don’t have it in you,” Miss Layrite challenged, eyes locked with her enemy

The Doctor sighed and actually chuckled his gun over his shoulder. “You’re right, I don’t.” Except the weapon didn’t make a loud thud; it simply disappeared in a flash of light. It must have been a hologram, which was much more the Time Lord’s style. “But my wife does.” 

At the mention of her name, River’s presence, which Blaine had lost track of (and he didn’t seem to be the only one), was revealed to be behind Miss Layrite with her gun pressed into the woman’s back. 

Blaine would have gasped, if his breath had not been taken away. 

Miss Layrite didn’t flinch at the discovery. “I don’t doubt it, from what I know about Miss Song’s epic _reputation_.” 

“That’s professor Song to you,” River corrected, pressing her gun harder into her back. 

Blaine’s (and everyone else’s) attention had been so fully focused on the show-down in front of him, that he didn’t notice the single figure creeping up to his holding bed until he gently touched his shoulder. The unexpected contact almost made Blaine shout out, but a hand clamped over his mouth stopping him from alerting Miss Layrite, who was slowly being brought over to the Doctor by River. 

“Shh,” a soft voice hissed. 

Wait. Blaine knew that voice. It was Kurt! Except why would he be here? Whatever the reason, Blaine’s assumptions were proven correct when Kurt’s handsome face popped up into view. “It’s okay Blaine, it’s me.” 

Blaine nodded and Kurt removed his hand. “Kurt, what are you doing here?” he whispered. 

“Why rescuing you of course. Hold on, I’ll need my full concentration if I have any hope of freeing you.” 

“How are you--” Blaine began to ask, but then he saw that Kurt had his dad’s sonic screwdriver, which he was using to unlock the force fields that were holding Blaine in place. It took Kurt two attempts but he finally managed; Blaine was released! His first instinct was to hurl himself into his boyfriend’s arms, but he fought the urge. The last thing either of them needed was to bring any attention to themselves. 

Blaine glanced over at his parents. 

“Now that we have your undivided attention, River and I are here to offer you a trade. Myself for my son,” the Doctor said. So that was their plan then. Blaine had no idea what was going on, but when was that anything new. 

Turning back to Kurt, he asked, “Now what?” 

Kurt helped Blaine slide off of the table and steadied his weak body. “Now we get you out of here.” 

“How--” Blaine started, only for his words to cut off when everything around him disappeared in a sudden jolt of energy. There was no time for him to recover when he suddenly found himself in a completely different place. The unexpected change of scenery caused Blaine’s already shaky legs to give out from under him and he crumbled to the floor. 

Kurt went with him; he apparently was just as shaken up by the experience, given how he landed without a hint of grace beside Blaine. 

It was all too much, the amount of energy that had been drained from him during the scans, as well as the volume of blood that was drawn from him, had taken its toll. Not even the prospect of Kurt coming to his rescue was enough to keep Blaine conscience. 

“Kurt,” Blaine groaned, as the world around him turned to black.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

The first thing Blaine saw when his eyes opened was the comforting presence of Kurt, who was cradling Blaine’s head in his lap. Knowing that he was there with him almost brought tears to Blaine’s eyes. 

“Where are we?” Blaine croaked; his mouth felt horribly dry. 

Kurt stroked his cheek. “We’re still on the Traxalore ship; we’re somewhere in the lower levels.” As he anticipated his boyfriend’s next question, Kurt held up his right wrist. The device that he was wearing was not your average watch. It appeared much more futuristic and, for some reason, oddly familiar. Blaine swore he had seen it before, but he couldn’t place where (or when, for that matter). “Your mom lent me her vortex manipulator. It’s too bad this ship’s force field is too strong for us to make it to earth. I have no idea how long we have until we’ll be found.” 

“Can I see dad’s sonic screwdriver?” Blaine asked, pulling himself into a sitting position (with Kurt’s help). He took the device and switched the setting, so he could scan the area for signs of life. “There’s no one around. For now. I’ll see if there are any security locks I can activate to give us a bit of an advantage.” His first attempts to stand didn’t go too well; the only reason Blaine didn’t fall was because Kurt hooked his arms around his shakey torso. “Thanks.” 

“You should try not to move too much, Blaine; you’ve been through a lot.” 

Neither one of them wanted to say the thing they both knew in their hearts--Blaine had nearly died, and it wasn’t over yet. They weren’t out of danger. The chance of being recaptured was high, and all Blaine had to do was look at the worry in Kurt’s eyes to know his boyfriend was very aware of the fact. 

Blaine couldn’t help from reaching out and pulling Kurt in for a tender hug. Clinging together, the couple cried out their fears and worries on each other’s shoulders. Feeling better, but not fully recovered, Blaine let out a heavy sigh. “I’m so sorry, Kurt....” 

“Don’t you dare apologize for this, Blaine. None of this is your fault,” Kurt interrupted in a firm voice. 

“Sorry, old habit.” Blaine chuckled, glad he could manage to laugh in such a dire situation. Once he felt like he could stand on his own two feet, Blaine reluctantly let go of Kurt so he could better asses their situation. His parents were off somewhere, no doubt doing everything in their power to ensure that he and Kurt were safe and sound and would be able to return to earth. 

Once he had used his dad’s sonic screwdriver to secure the room they were in, Blaine gave in and let himself rest for a moment. With his back slumped against the wall, he silently watched the front door. Kurt sat down beside him and rested his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. 

It was utterly quiet; whatever was happening on the upper decks was too far away for them to hear. Blaine knew he should say something to Kurt. But what? There was so much to cover. 

“So…” Kurt said, breaking the awkward silence before Blaine could. “You’re an alien.” 

“My parents are. I was born on earth.” 

“I take it this was what was keeping you from wanting to date?” 

Blaine nodded. “Essentially yes…” He couldn’t keep his hand still as he fidgeted nervously. “I was going to tell you, Kurt; I was just waiting for the right time…” 

“I believe you, and believe it or not, I understand your reasons for wanting to wait,” Kurt said, smiling lightly. 

Shifting his arm so he could wrap it around Kurt’s shoulder, Blaine replied, “I believe you too, love.” 

The silence returned, but the atmosphere between them felt better; there was obviously a lot left to be said, but that could all wait until a better time. Blaine went over the words in his head, trying to figure out the best way to convey his feelings. Nothing good was coming to mind, but considering their current situation, that was understandable. 

“Did my parents give you any sort of instructions?” 

Kurt shrugged. “Not really, just to lay low and stay safe basically. There wasn’t much time, but they said they’d come get us with the Tardis once everything was dealt with on their end.” 

“That sounds like something they would say,” Blaine muttered with a sigh. He felt grateful that his dad had given him such extensive lessons on how to use his sonic screwdriver, not that any of them were of use right now. 

With not much else to do besides wait and regain his energy, Blaine scanned the room around him. From his observations, it seemed to be a control room of some kind, but not a very important one, judging by the lack of security personnel around. Blaine was intending to access the controls with the help of the sonic screwdriver when the device started to flash bright blue. 

Since when did it have a feature like that? 

“Blaine, can you hear me, son?” the Doctor’s voice asked, the audio feed cracking. 

“Dad!” blurted Blaine. “Yes! Yes we can hear you!” 

“Thank goodness! Plans have changed slightly. River and I need your help. The ship’s main forcefield needs to be disabled if we have any chance of making it out of here on the Tardis. That’s where you come in son, we need you to bring it down for us. You should manage with my sonic screwdriver. You’re clever. Try to wipe their entire database while you’re at it. In the meantime, River and I will create a diversion! We’re good at those!” 

“You can count on us, dad,” Blaine said. When there was no immediate reply, Blaine called out, “Dad?” Nothing, the channel seemed to have been cut off, with no hope of reestablishing it.

Jumping up, or as much as his sore bones would allow, Blaine snapped into action, and hurried over to the control panel with the sonic screwdriver in hand. Kurt was close on his heels and hovering beside him, while he used his dad’s device to access the control panel in front of them. The security codes were easy enough to break. Blaine grinned in triumph. “We’re in!” 

“It’s sweet of you to include me,” Kurt remarked, adding some much needed humour. 

“You’re doing so much already, Kurt; it’s only because you’re here that I’m able to be this brave.” Blaine was being completely honest, too. He now understood why his dad liked having companions with him when he traveled. But Kurt was so much more than that, he was Blaine’s equal in every way.

Years of technology lessons from his dad (along with the Tardis’ translation matrix) made it possible for Blaine to successfully read the Traxalore’s computer system. He frantically searched for the forcefield, while Kurt kept watch at the door. His attempts to shut down the system proved futile so he was forced to seek another means to shut it down. “I’m going to have to do it old school and cut the wires!” Blaine paused for a second.

Blaine was about to do that when he noticed something. “That’s odd.” 

“What? What is it? You’ll need to spell it out for me, Blaine.” 

“The self destruct system’s been activated.” 

Kurt gave one last look at the door before joining Blaine at the console. “Shouldn’t there be alarms going off, then?” 

“There should be, but they’ve been deactivated.” But why? A chill ran down Blaine’s spine. “Unless that’s what my parents want. They don’t want to alert the Traxalore of their plan to blow this whole ship up.” 

“You’d better hurry and get that force field deactivated then,” Kurt muttered. 

Blaine just nodded in agreement. Thirty minutes might seem like a lot of time, but it really wasn’t. Not when it took him four to locate the control panel that held the wires, and another five to decipher which one he needed to cut. 

“Hold on Blaine, what’s that on the screen?” Kurt asked, stopping Blaine just in time. 

Looking up to where Kurt was pointing, Blaine frowned in confusion. “Hold on.” His fingers danced along the control keys as he searched for he answer. “Those are the holding cells.” He hadn’t been in there himself; Blaine figured he had been too high priority. 

“That’s what I thought.” 

“Kurt, what are you getting on about?” 

Rolling his eyes, Kurt said, “Isn’t it obvious?” When Blaine didn’t give a response he sighed. “Those cells are meant to be holding something, or rather, someone! You’re not the only one they’ve been experimenting on!” 

“Oh, my god,” Blaine muttered when it finally hit him. “The prisoners will have no way to escape! They’ll be destroyed along with the ship!” 

“Your parents wouldn’t leave them to that horrible fate.” Kurt brows furrowed “Would they?” 

“Normally I would say no, but…” Blaine had never seen his parents like this before; he thought back to a story he had heard when he was fifteen. About how one of his dad’s favourite companions, named Donna Noble, had stopped the Doctor from letting himself die along with the Racnoss Empress and her children.

“Blaine? We need to do something! We have to save them!” Kurt shouted, bringing Blaine back to the present. 

“You’re right, Kurt,” Blaine said with an intensity in his eyes. “I have no idea what my parents are up to, but someone needs to save those poor souls, and that someone is us!” He held out his hand to Kurt, who took it without hesitation. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, Kurt.” 

“Me too.” Kurt smiled at him. “What do we need to do first?” 

Blaine went back to the wire that powered the forcefield and cut it with the sonic screwdriver. “First we need to bring the Traxalore database to its knees, and then, once everything has turned to utter chaos, we need to go break out the prisoners and find a way to get all us off the ship before it's blown to smithereens!” 

“Sounds like my kind of mission,” Kurt replied, grinning. He might not be totting any heavy artillery but make no mistake, Kurt Hummel was still a force to be reckoned with--and the only person Blaine needed at his side.  
______________________________________________________________________________

“Run the plan by me again one more time, Blaine,” Kurt asked as they prepared to leave the safety of the utility room. 

“We go to the main holding cell where the living test subjects are, which I’ve already managed to locate, spring them loose--with the help of my dad’s sonic screwdriver, and get them safely off the ship, hopefully by convincing my parents to let them board the Tardis,” Blaine rambled. 

It all sounded so crazy, especially since Kurt and Blaine were basically unarmed, aside from a sonic screwdriver (whatever that even was) and a vortex manipulator (where did these names come from?) that couldn’t even be used to their advantage, and neither items made Kurt feel very safe. What he felt was terrified; everything in him, from his voice of reason to his will to survive, told him to follow River’s and the Doctor’s orders to stay out of sight (and harm’s way). And yet, Kurt was the one to insist they needed to save the innocent prisoners in the first place. 

Blaine waved Kurt forward and suddenly there was no time for Kurt to second guess himself; they were on the move. Grabbing for Blaine’s hand, Kurt sprinted down the empty corridor looking as inconspicuous as possible. Luck was on their side so far, as there were no signs of any guards. Maybe the only kind of luck they had, though, was bad, because Kurt still felt like they were bound to fail. 

What could they do though? Blaine had been unable to deactivate the self destruct, and his attempts to bring back the warning signals had been equally futile. The one thing Blaine could have done was delete the Traxalore’s database, except doing so might alert them to Kurt and Blaine’s presence. 

“I wish I knew what my parents were up to,” muttered Blaine under his breath as the couple approached their first corner. A quick scan with the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver showed them which way to go and Blaine guided them along. 

Every once in a while, Blaine would come to a sudden halt, scan ahead for good measure, and in two instances made them wait until the coast was clear. There had been a few near misses; Kurt was still amazed they’d managed to backtrack before three leather-clad thug guards had been alerted to their presence. 

What was happening the upper decks that was drawing all of the attention away from them? Kurt wasn’t sure he wanted to know--not if Blaine’s concerns that his parents had put the vessel on silent self destruct with the intention that no one on the ship (guilty or otherwise) would have a chance to escape. It was hard for Kurt to imagine that the wonderful people who had raised Blaine could be capable of something so ruthless. 

“Okay we’re almost there, just one more corridor to go,” Blaine whispered. 

Kurt took a deep breath as they charged on. _‘Keep it together, Hummel.’_

Unfortunately, their luck had finally run out. The profanity Blaine cursed under his breath was obscene enough that Kurt knew whatever he had detected wasn’t good. 

“I’m reading a lot of life forms ahead.” Blaine frowned as he studied the readings. “More than there should be.” Letting go of Kurt’s hand, he went ahead, creeping forward with impressive stealth. 

Kurt, who knew better than to follow him, waited as patiently as possible, which wasn’t easy when he was left out in the open corridor. Kurt wished there was something he could focus on other than his fast beating heart. It didn’t help that the walls were white and lacking any originality; the only sound was the faint humm of machinery all around him. Standing there made him feel small and insignificant. It hadn’t really hit him until now that aliens actually existed and he was in actual outer-space!

Just when Kurt was about to go off on a real mental tangent, Blaine came rushing back and placed his hands on Kurt’s shoulders. 

“We’re in trouble, best I can tell they’ve upped the security. I don’t know how we’re going to get past it!” Blaine swore again; it would have been hot if their situation wasn’t so perilous. “This was a bad idea, what were we even thinking? I’m not my dad, I’m not the Doctor, Kurt. I have no idea what I’m doing.” 

Kurt might not be the stuff of legends, but one thing he did know about was self doubt; placing his hands lovingly on Blaine’s shoulders, Kurt gave his boyfriend an encouraging smile. 

“You know what you are Blaine? You’re amazing that’s what. The only reason we’ve gotten this far is because of you. Your dad said it himself; you’re clever, you can do this. I know you can. Why else do you think I’m here at your side when all I want to be doing is hiding somewhere curled up in the fetal position?” His joke did its job and broke tension enough for Blaine to chuckle in response. 

Blaine squeezed Kurt’s shoulders. “Thanks love, I needed that.” 

“Anytime.” Kurt let go of Blaine since he knew they couldn’t stand around forever. “So could you tell why they had upped the security?” 

Shaking his head, Blaine reached for Kurt’s hand and lead him forward a few steps. “Not really no, maybe you can make better sense of it.” 

It was sweet how Blaine didn’t bother to tell him to be careful as they quietly inched forward. When Kurt saw the four guards standing on each side of the doors in pairs, he held his breath as his heart began to race. How in the world were he and Blaine supposed to get by them? It suddenly hit Kurt how little thought they had put into their _plan_. As if they could sneak their way into a heavily populated alien spacecraft unnoticed. 

“Now what?” Kurt asked.

Blaine rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought I could cause a distraction of some sort… but I hadn’t counted on there being more than one guard.” He cursed again. “That’s what I get for being so naive.” 

“That’s what _we_ get, Blaine.” 

Before either young man could suggest their next plan of action, everything in front of them went haywire. Bright flashes of energy erupted from within the holding area. There was no chance to react as the blasts, because what else could they have been, caused the guards to rush inside the room they were protecting. 

“What in the blazes--” Blaine began, only for him to go quiet when even more explosions followed. 

No, not explosions, Kurt realized: gun fire, but of a more futuristic kind than the type that used mere metal bullets. Then there was nothing; no shouting voices, no sounds of a struggle, only chilling silence. Kurt turned to Blaine, who looked as wide-eyed and amazed as Kurt felt, and mouthed ‘what now?’ 

Blaine brought his finger to his lips and took a couple tentative steps. With his dad’s sonic screwdriver in his right hand, Kurt watched as his boyfriend scanned for any clues. 

“Well?” Kurt asked when he returned. 

“I think there was a skirmish, and the guards lost. I can’t say for certain but…” 

“You think it’s your parents?” Kurt finished for him. 

Blaine nodded. “I can’t think of anyone else.” 

This could be good. “Maybe they’re freeing the prisoners themselves?” 

“I hope so.” Blaine put his arm down and sighed. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.” 

Against Kurt’s better judgement, he found himself creeping along side Blaine, who was tightly gripping his hand, towards the unguarded holding area entrance. So far so good, or bad, depending on who had come out the winner. Kurt’s fears about them walking into a trap were back and making him increasingly nervous. Sweat beaded down his brow, and his hands (both his free left and the one Blaine was clinging to) felt clammy. What in the hell were they doing? 

The first signs that there had been an altercation were the various scorch marks on the floor and nearby walls; the next, and more obvious, were the four unconscious (or possibly dead--if they had ever been alive to begin with) leather-clad guards on the floor. 

“And there they are,” Blaine said. 

Blinking, Kurt asked, “What? Where?” 

Blaine jabbed his finger in the direction of the far side of the room where two figures were dragging an unconscious guard into an open cell to join the countless others there. Those figures turned out to be the Doctor and River, who hadn’t noticed the boys’ arrival yet. From what Kurt could tell, they were busy taking care of the security personnel; what in the world had he and Blaine missed out on? 

On second thought, considering the amount of guards and the disheveled state the Doctor and River were in (with singed clothes and wild hair), Kurt should be grateful that he and Blaine hadn’t been there to see it all go down. 

The Doctor let go of the guard once he was fully within the cell and dusted off his hands on his tattered jacket. For some reason, The Doctor wasn’t being his usual chatty self; Kurt couldn’t see his face from this angle, but his stance seemed different, more stiff and rigid. When the Doctor turned around to reveal his face, Kurt noticed his dark brooding expression, except it vanished as soon as he caught sight of the boys. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” the Doctor said, his voice deep and hollow sounding. His eyebrows were furrowed together. “You were supposed to stay hidden.” He stormed over to them and grabbed onto Kurt and Blaine’s arm, yanking them both towards the entrance. “I don’t want you to see this.”

“See what? See you blow up an entire ship full of people? Test subjects and all?” Blaine asked, pulling free from his dad’s grasp. The Doctor didn’t attempt to regain control of his son, in fact, he didn’t do anything at all--no lecture, no denial; he had fallen silent. 

Kurt watched father and son stare one another down. The tension in the room was extremely high and climbing. 

“Tell me I’m wrong, dad, because I want to be wrong. I don’t want to think you’d go that far, even for my sake.” 

Always ready to take care of her husband’s dirty work, River stopped to close and secure the prison cell before joining the Doctor’s side. 

“Did you know, mum? Or has dad--” 

“Of course she does,” snapped the Doctor. “Nothing gets past her.” Apparently unable to hold eye contact with Blaine, the Doctor looked away as he rubbed the back of his neck. “We made the decision together to see that the Traxalore will never harm anyone ever again.”

“Where’s Miss Layrite?” Blaine asked. “The woman who kidnapped me from earth.” 

“She’s alive, for now,” answered River. “We put her in the most secure cell in the back.” 

Sure enough, Kurt found the woman in question after scanning the room; she was confined in the same type of hospital bed as Blaine had been, and by the looks of it, she had been knocked unconscious, possibly by an actual physical blow going by her swollen eye (a punch to the face perhaps?).

Blaine took a step closer to his parents, stopping before he came within arms reach; his hands shook as he starred them down with judgemental eyes. “Why? Why are you willing to sacrifice so many lives? Is it for revenge? I can’t see what else. They took me so now you’re going to sentence everyone on this ship to death?” 

There was so much hurt and anger in Blaine’s voice that Kurt was finding it difficult not to break down crying. 

The Doctor, on the other hand, was staying impressively stone faced after receiving such harsh accusations from Blaine. 

Except Blaine apparently wasn’t having any of it and yelled, “Why?” 

“Because they hurt you!” the Doctor shouted. “Because you are my son and they stole you away without my knowledge! Me! The Doctor! The Oncoming Storm!” Tears were running down the Doctor’s blotchy red face. “When I stop to think about how close we came to losing you, Blaine…” He shuddered at the thought. “I cannot let it happen again. I have to send a message through the galaxy that anyone who dares to try to hurt you will not come out alive.” 

Blaine was crying as well. “Dad listen to yourself, this is not who you are.” 

“You don’t understand Blaine, when we looked at the Traxalore’s database we saw what they’ve been up to, and what they’re planning to do. So many lives have already been lost in their quest for genetic perfectection. They cannot be allowed to continue. We have to stop them, here and now, while we have the chance,” the Doctor pleaded. 

“Isn’t there some way we can do it without committing a massacre?” asked Blaine. 

At first, Kurt thought the Doctor would look away again, but then, when all hope seemed to be lost, a warm smile spread across the Time Lord’s face. What happened next was touching for Kurt to behold. 

Almost at the same time, Blaine and the Doctor reached for one another, wrapping their arms around each other in a warm embrace. The pain from their terrifying ordeal was cried out until they managed to stop shaking. 

“I’m sorry, Blaine; I lost my way,” the Doctor murmured. 

“I’m here for you, dad.” 

It was all too much for Kurt to take; he broke down crying, desperate to hold his boyfriend, but unwilling to break up the tender moment in front of him. River ended up coming to his aid by giving him a much needed hug. Taking a deep breath, Kurt let her protective arms around him renew his strength. 

“Look at us, a bunch of blubbering messes,” River choked out, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

Kurt wished he had a tissue to blow his nose. “Some rescue team we are, huh?” 

“Hey, you saved me, didn’t you?” Blaine said, chuckling as he loosened his hold on his dad and went over to give Kurt some attention. 

“Now it’s time to do the same for the rest of the crew.” Kurt blushed when Blaine kissed him on the cheek. “Well, the ones who deserve it, but how can we tell who those are?” 

River grinned. “We could save ourselves the trouble and leave it to the authorities.” 

“You mean the Shadow Proclamation?” asked the Doctor. 

“Who else. Let them deal with this whole mess. I take it you still know their number, Sweetie?”

The Doctor was back and ready to take charge, and take charge he did, darting off towards the control panel. “That’s a brilliant idea dear, although we should delete their database to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.” Much like his son did when he was at a piano, the Doctor’s fingers danced across the keys as he got to work. 

Kurt was safely tucked in between River and Blaine, who each had an arm draped over his shoulder. It didn’t matter to him at all that he and Blaine had missed the climax of their adventure.

But as Kurt watched Blaine and his parents work together to bring down the Traxalore’s extensive database, he knew that this was only the beginning for him. His whole world had been turned upside down. Kurt had heard about the alien attacks on each, of course, but like the rest of the world they had become old news by now. Finding himself thrust out into space to save his alien boyfriend (or the son of aliens) suddenly made it real for him. And while he hoped that this would be both the first and last time Blaine’s life would be in danger, Kurt couldn’t wait to see what was in store for them. 

Before he knew it, their job was done and the Doctor happily announced that the ship was locked down and ready for the Shadow Proclamation, who were on their way. There was nothing left to do but step into the Tardis and head for home. 

Kurt couldn’t help but take one last glance out at the alien ship. 

“Ready to go, love?” Blaine questioned, slipping his arm around Kurt’s waist, and good thing too, because Blaine’s legs started to give out a second later. 

Grabbing onto his boyfriend, Kurt chuckled. “Easy there, I’ve got you. It’s time to get you to bed, you’ve been through a lot today.” 

“So have you, Kurt.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll join you as soon as you’re all safely tucked in.” Kurt couldn’t wait to snuggle up with Blaine and have a much earned rest. 

The couple helped each other force their weary bodies forward; they were going to sleep for a long time. Thank goodness it was the weekend. It was going to be very hard to go back to their regular lives, Kurt realized. Nothing would be the same ever again. But he realized it didn’t need to be. 

The Doctor popped his head from inside of the Tardis. “What’s the holdup, boys? Is anything amiss?” 

“No.” Giving the Doctor a reassuring smile, Kurt said, “Everything’s good.” Or it would be soon enough.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Blaine was cast in absolute darkness, an empty blackness that was cold and desolate. Totally alone, he started running in spite of having no sense of direction. Where was he? What had happened? Had he blacked out from the pain again? Blaine’s mind felt as empty as the space around him; he couldn’t remember anything aside from his name. _‘Blaine,’_ he reaffirmed. _‘I’m Blaine Anderson.’_

Desperation chased after him as he continued to run; there had to be more to life than this. Suddenly, white light blinded his vision, rendering his senses useless. When he finally was able to see again, the black void from before was gone. 

He was in a room, one that he recognized instantly. A shiver ran down his spine. He knew this place, he had been here during his bleakest moment. The room, wasn’t actually one at all. It was a huge open space full of futuristic looking machinery that held huge screens and control panels. In the middle of it was what looked like a hospital bed, but not the type one would find on earth--this one used force fields instead of physical straps. 

“No,” Blaine muttered. “Not again.” The pain he had felt when he had been strapped to that bed had been nearly unbearable. 

Blaine was about to bolt from the place he feared most when he realized someone else was being held in the bed. 

“Blaine…” a weak voice cried out. The pitiful plea made the hairs on the back of Blaine’s neck stand up on end. It couldn’t be. Inching closer, Blaine’s eyes filled with tears when his worst fears were confirmed. 

“Kurt!” Blaine rushed over to his boyfriend’s side, but the distance between them didn’t lessen. Try as he might, Blaine couldn’t get closer; frantic with worry, Blaine ran as fast as he could as he cried out his frustrations. “I’ll save you! Hold on!” 

“Blaine, help me.” 

He had to do something. Kurt was in trouble. He was in pain and it was all Blaine’s fault! He had let the man he loved the most come to harm. Desperation drove him on, making him charge forward with all of his might. The blackness that had terrified Blaine so much had returned and was creeping up on him. 

“You can’t have him!” Blaine yelled at the top of his lungs. 

But the darkness ignored Blaine’s command and raced ahead of him, turning its sights on Kurt and sweeping around him. 

“No! Kurt no!” Powerless to stop it, the darkness enveloped Kurt and, as if it were a living thing, went for Blaine next, wrapping around him, and smothering him with a coldness that numbed Blaine’s senses. 

Soon there was nothing left of him.  
______________________________________________________________________________

“No!” Blaine shouted, shooting up from the bed. Drenched in a cold sweat, Blaine looked around; it was still dark. 

Strong but gentle arms suddenly wrapped around Blaine’s shoulders, catching him off guard.

“Shh, I’m here Blaine, you’re okay. You were having a nightmare,” the voice whispered in his ear, hugging him tightly. 

Blaine’s tense body relaxed as the realization hit him; a nightmare, he had been dreaming, it hadn’t been real. Kurt was with him. They were both safe. His memories started to return as his eyes began to pick out the familiar shapes around him. He was in his bedroom at his flat. That was right. Kurt and his parents had brought him here and put him to bed. Blaine had been rescued from the Traxalore, who were in the Shadow Proclamation’s custody now. 

As his body continued to relax, Blaine let out a large breath of relief and sunk into Kurt’s warm embrace. Huddled together, Blaine was given the time he needed to recover from his hellish nightmare. This must be what soldiers go through after coming home from war, only in Blaine’s case, he hadn’t fought for anything. He had been kidnapped, tortured and terrified--and had almost been forced into his first regeneration. 

“How are you feeling?” Kurt asked, breaking the long silence. 

“Better.” Blaine slipped his arms around Kurt’s waist and rested his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Experiencing post traumatic stress hadn’t been in Blaine’s upmost mind since he’d been rescued, but it was now. He wondered how long the nightmares would continue, and if they would get any worse. The saying ‘times heals all wounds’ entered his mind; his dad often said the phrase, and the memory of that comforted Blaine a bit. 

He’d get through this. Day by day. Week by week. And not all by himself. 

Kurt stirred in his arms, pulling back so he could look Blaine in the eye. His beautiful face was furrowed with worry, and the sight of it tugged on Blaine’s heartsstrings. 

“I’m all right, Kurt.” Or he would be soon enough. Blaine squeezed his waist and smiled. “I have all I need right here in my arms.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Blaine’s smile deepened. “Yes, I’m sure. I won’t lie to you, Kurt, I’m not fully recovered yet, and I get the feeling that there will be more nightmares to come. But I’ll get through them, because I have you here with me.” 

“Don’t forget about your parents, Blaine; I’m sure they’d have good advice for what you’re going through,” Kurt said. 

Nestled back down in bed, Blaine guided Kurt’s body until he was spooned behind him. The darkness that had plagued his dreams didn’t feel so bad with his boyfriend’s warm presence there to protect him. Kurt didn’t say anything at first and simply lay there quietly breathing as Blaine took another moment to recover. 

“I’m so sorry they hurt you, Blaine…” 

The comment brought tears to Blaine’s eyes. He turned around so he could face Kurt, who was crying as well. “Yes, they did.” There was no use in denying the fact, not when Kurt would be able to see through it. Blaine didn’t want to in any case--no more secrets, no more hiding the truth. It was a comforting thought. “But they didn’t break me.”  
__________________________________________________________________________

Blaine managed to sleep soundly enough for most of the night, waking only once from a short-lived nightmare that didn’t leave him as shaken as before. He didn’t even yell out, his eyes had simply snapped open to see a sleeping Kurt beside him, and his body had immediately begun to relax. 

The faint light streaming in from the crack in his curtains told Blaine that it was early morning--Saturday morning to be exact. The fact that they didn’t need go to school was a welcome comfort. Blaine knew he couldn’t face his normal average day-to-day life just yet. Kurt stirred beside him but didn’t wake up.

Last night had been such a blur; Blaine had barely stepped off the Tardis and into his bedroom before he’d fallen asleep. He couldn’t even remember if he’d made it to his bed on his own. 

He was torn. Part of him didn’t want to leave Kurt, but another part of him wanted to get up so he could make them a pot of tea, or maybe coffee. Blaine got the feeling it would be that type of morning. Waiting until he was absolutely sure Kurt was too deep asleep for any movement to wake him, Blaine reluctantly got up out of bed. 

Rather than using technology to find out the time, Blaine went over to the window and looked out at the hazy scene before him. It wasn’t as early as he’d assumed. By his reckoning, it was probably about seven or eight in the morning. Good. He’d managed to get a decent night’s rest . After taking a quick detour to the bathroom, Blaine, who was wearing a pair of his navy pajamas (Kurt must have dressed him), stepped into the kitchen in search of coffee. 

The serenity of his flat was like a balm on his soul, chasing away any lingering stress from the nightmare he’d experienced before. Blaine soon found the hazelnut coffee that Kurt loved as much as he did, and brought out his glass coffee press. The mundane yet familiar task allowed Blaine’s thoughts to wander. 

_‘I wonder how my parents are doing.’_ Blaine would call them once Kurt was up and it wasn’t so early. A quick glance at the clock on his microwave showed that it was seven-forty-three in the morning. 

Blaine had been humming to himself as he poured the coffee into two large mugs when Kurt appeared, letting out a lazy yawn and stumbling into the kitchen. 

“Morning, love,” Blaine said, enjoying the chance to experience some much needed domestic bliss. “I’ve got coffee here for us.”

“That’s what woke me up.” Kurt went over and gave Blaine a quick peck on the lips. “You’re such a sweetheart.” Coffee mug now in hand, Kurt took a big long drink and let out a dreamy sigh when he was finished. “Now that’s the stuff. You make the best coffee, Blaine; you always get the temperature perfect.” 

Feeling flirtatious, Blaine gently took the cup out of Kurt’s hand (which made Kurt frown) and kissed him full on the mouth before he could utter a word of protest. Kurt’s lips tasted like the hazelnut coffee he’d just drank and were so delicious Blaine had to go back for seconds. The world melted away as Blaine’s lips touched Kurt’s; this was the only thing that mattered for Blaine at this moment. Except it seemed the need for caffein proved too much for Kurt, who playfully pushed his boyfriend off of him so he could retrieve his half-full coffee mug. 

“Save the rest of that sugar until I finish this okay, Blaine?” Kurt said, holding up his mug and escaping to the kitchen table. 

“Have it your way then.” Blaine took a sip of his mug. “Breakfast?” 

“Please,” Kurt said, but then he frowned slightly and added, “As long as you’re up for it, because I can take over if you’re not.” 

Blaine waved the pancake spatula in his hand. “I think getting a chance to pamper you and feed the both of us in the process is exactly the sort of therapy I need right now.” While Kurt didn’t argue with him, Blaine noted the worry in his eyes as Kurt quietly sipped at his coffee. The sweet gesture was appreciated, but the last thing he wanted was to cause an awkward silence between them. 

As he started whipping up the pancake batter, Blaine glanced over Kurt’s way. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” 

“It is what we do best.” 

The joke broke what little tension had started to rise between them and Blaine chuckled as he poured some batter onto the frying pan. Where should they begin? Should Blaine address the fact that he’d been keeping such a huge secret from Kurt? His first instincts told him that he needed to apologize, but he knew Kurt would throw such notions aside.

Blaine flipped the first pancake over. “I want to tell you everything, Kurt; there’s so much you don’t know.” 

“I know more than you’re probably thinking; your dad filled me in on a lot when we were in the Tardis on our way to find you, and after I put you to bed last night,” Kurt said. 

“He did?” Well that was helpful, now all Blaine had to learn was how much his dad had covered. “Do you have any questions for me?” 

Kurt finished off the last of his coffee and put the mug down. “Loads actually, but none of them are too serious. We can go over them at our leisure. I know about your mom and dad’s pasts--or the jist of them anyway--I’m sure they’ll elaborate next time we go over for tea. I know how they gave up those lives to settle down on earth and raise you. I know about the Time Lords and some of the ways they’re different from humans.” 

“What about regeneration?” 

Kurt nodded. “Your dad told me about it after realizing the Traxalore planned to make you regenerate to fuel their computers.” He shuddered lightly. “I was so afraid for you, Blaine… I know you wouldn’t have died for real but…”

“But the man you had fallen in love with would have been gone,” Blaine finished for him. 

“I’m sure I would have fallen in love with you all over again,” Kurt said with a small grin. “But I’m still glad you didn’t have to go through it.” 

Blaine smiled. “Me too.”

Breakfast was served a short while later. Kurt and Blaine spent it talking about what they had gone through and how they would help each other deal with the mental aftermath. Kurt was surprised to learn that aside from him now, only Blaine, his parents and his great grandpa Brian knew the Anderson family’s big secret. Not even Brittany or Sam knew, a fact that Blaine felt bad about from the way his expression had turned so sad. Kurt understood his hesitation, it was a huge thing to share, one that he himself wouldn’t have believed. That was why Kurt didn’t feel any resentment towards Blaine keeping things from him, not when he had confessed he was planning to tell Kurt at Christmas. The fact that Blaine trusted him enough to share his secrets only four months into their relationship touched Kurt deeply. 

It would take time for Kurt to grasp the idea that Blaine could outlive him by thousands of years, but if their harrowing experience had taught him anything, it was that he should live in the present. So Kurt let the notion go, not forgetting it completely, because that would have been impossible. He just tucked it away in his mind. 

Nobody--human or Time Lord-- know how long they had to live. Kurt wanted to spend his days loving the most amazing man he had ever met, a man who had two hearts instead of one, who had aliens for parents, and a time machine in the shed of his family home. Blaine may be the son of the Doctor, but to him, he was merely his adorable boyfriend, who happened to make the best lemon blueberry pancakes. 

What more could a guy ask for?  
______________________________________________________________________________

Spending an entire day cuddled up at home with Kurt watching TV programs and making love had been wonderful, so much so that Blaine didn’t want it to end; but it would need to either way, especially since tomorrow was their one month anniversary. At first, Blaine’s Highclere Castle surprise for Kurt had totally left Blaine’s mind, which was understandable considering what he’d gone through. It had taken Kurt making a comment about Downton Abbey for him to remember. Blaine had felt horrible, not just because he had forgotten, but because he wasn’t sure he was up for it. 

Blaine had been trying to think of a good way to bridge the subject when his boyfriend ended up saving him the trouble. 

“You know, Blaine, maybe we should skip whatever you had planned for tomorrow and spend another quiet day at home. Or we could go out still, but why don’t we keep it casual?” 

Kurt was sitting on the edge of the bed as he watched Blaine comb his damp hair. They had taken a shower (for the second time that day) and had been discussing what they should do next. Blaine had thought Kurt meant what they should have for dinner. It turned out his boyfriend had other ideas, though.

“Unless it’s something you can’t cancel like a reservation or--” 

A lovesick smile spread over Blaine’s face. “Why don’t we save it for our one year anniversary?” He was sure he could ask his dad to help him arrange that. It made more sense in a lot of ways, and it took the pressure off of him too. With the matter settled, Blaine put down the gel bottle he had been holding and decided to leave his hair product free for once. 

“Does that mean I’ll have to wait a year until I find out what the surprise is?” Kurt asked, frowning. 

Blaine’s smile turned into a flirtatious smirk. “I’d hate to spoil it for you.” It shouldn’t be too hard to keep Kurt’s curiosity at bay; plenty of tricks came to mind--most of which were sexual in origin.

“All right then. I’ll agree to it, as long as you’ll let me plan something equally extravagant for the night after our anniversary. And while we’re on the subject, I still wanna go out clubbing with you one night,” Kurt said finally. 

“Done and done,” Blaine replied, sealing the deal with a kiss.  
______________________________________________________________________________

_~The following Fall~ On Kurt and Blaine’s one year anniversary._

Standing upon a grassy hill with the sun shining high in the blue sky, a single figure gazed at the scenery below. The young man was dressed in a suit that looked as if it was right out of the nineteen-twenties (which is was). A happy smile spread across his handsome face as he drank in the historic scenery all around him. The past year had been uneventful but in the best possible way, with no terrifying abductions. And now, the moment that Blaine had been waiting for had finally arrived. 

“Blaine!” a familiar voice called out from behind. 

Turning around, Blaine caught sight of his boyfriend and fireworks erupted, causing him to grin from ear to ear like the lovesick fool that he was. One year later and Kurt still took his breath away. 

“Wow, Kurt,” Blaine said, taking a dramatic step back. “If you were a character in Downton Abbey, your arrival would cause quite a stir with both genders, because you look that good!” 

“You flatter me, kind sir.” Kurt gave him a quick twirl to fully show off his stunning three-piece suit. Every detail had been taken into account when Kurt had dressed himself that morning--from his perfectly accurate hairstyle to the cut of his suit. Kurt suited the historic garb to a tee. There was no acting needed on Blaine’s part when his mouth hung open in sheer awe. Even Kurt’s accent was dead on; a feat achieved by a year’s worth of practice. 

It hardly mattered that they were still in the present day and not back in the time period when the events of the fictional TV series took place. Blaine had quickly agreed to Kurt’s idea of dressing up for their tour. The photoshoots they would be able to take with their all-access passes would be well worth the effort. 

“I must say you look good enough to be my character’s secret love interest, Blaine,” Kurt said, still using his British accent as he laid on the charm. 

Blaine laughed. “You like the surprise then?” He was still amazed he’d been able to keep things a secret up until the very end. 

“I love it.” Kurt draped his arms over Blaine’s shoulder and kissed him. “This is hands down the best one year anniversary gift you could give me, and I’m so excited that I don’t even care that my plans for tomorrow will pale in comparison. I’d ask you how you managed to get us a VIP Downton Abbey tour package, but I get the feeling your dad’s physic paper had something to do with it.” 

“It might have,” alluded Blaine, who kissed Kurt before he could ask for any further details. 

The boys were on their third kiss when Blaine’s phone started ringing, and in spite of their efforts to ignore it, it kept on ringing. Grumbling with bitter resentment, Blaine gave up and brought out his phone to see who it was. 

“I should have known.” Blaine reluctantly answered the call and put it on speaker so Kurt could hear, too. “Hey Britt, what can I do for you?” 

“Sorry to call you during your big date, but there’s something that’s been bothering me Blainey, something that can’t wait. The gang says I’m mad but there are too many signs to ignore, signs that all point towards the same conclusion…” Brittany paused for a second. “I demand answers, Blaine. No more lies. I want the truth.” 

Blaine shared a worried glance with Kurt, who mouthed ‘what?’ at him. Did Brittany actually know something, or was she being her usual quirky self? The idea seemed impossible, but there had been times where Brittany’s ‘crazy’ assumptions had been alarmingly close to the truth. “What in the world are you talking about?” 

“Oh, I think you know,” Brittany threw back. “I’m not Kurt, Blaine. You can’t serenade my suspicions away like you can with him. Tell me the truth once and for all.” 

“The truth about what?” Blaine asked. 

Brittany sighed in frustration. “That you and Kurt are eloping and planning on getting married without any of your friends to see it!” 

Kurt burst out laughing. 

“We’re not getting married,” Blaine said, fighting the urge to laugh. “That’s years away still.” 

“But why have you two been so secretive for the last year then? Why wouldn’t you tell me what you had planned today, no matter how many times I asked? Me! One of your best friends in the whole word, Blainey. And don’t think I haven’t forgotten how you and your parents spent the entire summer with Kurt and his family in Ohio!” 

Kurt, who had finally managed to get a hold of himself, asked, “Don’t take this the wrong way Brittany, but are you high?” 

“I promise you, Britt, we’re not eloping,” Blaine said before Brittany could reply to Kurt’s question. “What will it take to prove it to you?” 

If they were on face chat, Blaine imagined he would see Brittany scowling at them. “You need to promise me that when you guys do get married I’ll get to be your maid of honour, _and_ you’ll need to agree to giving me your social security numbers so I can keep track of your records.” 

Now it was Blaine who burst out laughing; he was tempted to give into her insane demands (the second one, the first he had no problem agreeing to) just to get her off their backs. He couldn’t think of anything she’d be able to trace him or Kurt to with their social security numbers. That didn’t mean he liked the idea of her having them, though. 

“Brittany S. Pierce, I vow to have you as my maid of honour when Kurt and I get married,” Blaine said with complete, sincere honesty. 

“Cross your heart?” 

“Err…” Blaine shushed Kurt’s chuckling. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” He also made a silent vow to reveal to both Brittany and Sam that he actually had two hearts by the end of the school year. It had been long enough. They deserved to know the real truth. Even if it wasn’t anything Brittany had predicted (as far as Blaine knew). 

“Okay fine, that’s good enough, _for now_. Have a happy anniversary boys,” Brittany chimed, abruptly ending the call. 

Blaine made a quick decision to turn off his phone for good measure and he was pleased to see that Kurt did the same. With no more unwanted interruptions to get in their way, Blaine was keen to start celebrating their one year anniversary. It was a day for joyful celebration. It was another new experience to share with the love of his life, and he was determined to make every second with Kurt count. 

“ _Oh simple thing, where have you gone_?” Kurt sung softly. The tune he’d chosen was a number the couple often serenaded each other with in the car. 

Blaine smiled. “No place special.” He held out his hand for Kurt to take. “Why would I want to be anywhere elsewhere when you’re here with me?” 

“So I don’t have to worry about you running off with you parents in the Tardis?” 

“Not unless you're running along side me.”

The couple walked hand and hand down the hill to the castle below. 

“Do you think we might get the chance to?” Kurt asked. 

“Stranger things have happened.” Blaine hadn’t bothered to ask his parents if they could yet, though. His dreams of leaving earth behind after graduating from college were behind him now. “Ready to begin our tour?” 

Kurt threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, yes!” 

Tightening his grip on Kurt’s hand, Blaine used the same word his dad had often cheered out in the thrill of excitement, as the pair sprinted down the hill in full force towards their next adventure. 

“Geronimo!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue is all that's left and it's going up right away!


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue

Blaine could hardly believe that he has been a married man for the past week now. The ceremony had been lovely and small,which had made the wedding more intimate. The happy couple had been surrounded by the people who mattered the most to them. Blaine had upheld his promise to Brittany to have her be his maid of honour, while Sam had been his best man--because why couldn’t he have both? As for Kurt, he had opted to give his step brother Finn the honour of being his best man, and had made Quinn a groom’s maid. After quick consideration, Kurt had suggested his dad could officiate, and Blaine had been all for it. Burt dutily accepted the role with tears in his eyes. Everyone had cried during the ceremony, the Doctor most of all, but Carole and River had been a close second. 

The biggest surprise of that lovely day was when Santana had caught the wedding bouquet. But Blaine’s favourite part was when he and Kurt had fulfilled their dream of singing ‘Come What May’ from the film Moulin Rouge to each other during the reception. 

Seven days had passed since then and today, yet another momentous occasion had taken place only a few hours ago: their college graduation. Blaine was tired, but in the good, giddy, content kind of way. The whirlwind week had started with a wedding and had fittingly ended with the toss of a graduation cap.

Blaine had been looking forward to getting in a moment's rest before their secret destination honeymoon (planned by the Doctor) would be revealed. Too bad his parents had other plans; the newly wedded couple had barely finished saying their goodbyes to their fellow students and teachers when the Doctor and River had appeared to whisk them away. 

Blaine and Kurt Hummel-Anderson found themselves standing in the Anderson family’s backyard--or that was where Blaine assumed they had been taken to anyway. 

“Aren’t these blindfolds a bit much?” Blaine grumbled, proving that even a twenty-two-year-old wedded man could sound like an impatient child when he wanted to. 

“Try to relax, Blaine; everything will be revealed soon enough. You can’t blame us for wanting to keep it all a surprise now, can you?” River’s sweet voice replied. 

Kurt was standing beside Blaine holding onto his arm. “Even when we’re pretty sure the surprise entails taking us to some romantic destination via the Tardis?” 

Blaine muffled a laugh. 

“Such a clever boy, but don’t be so sure you have your in-laws completely figured out yet, Kurt,” River said. “There’s always room for surprises whenever the Doctor is involved.” 

The soft sounds of Blaine’s laughter was deafened as the wheezing noises caused by the Tardis materializing filled the backyard. Blaine went silent as he tried to listen for any clues; the creak of the double doors opening came next and then there was a thump of footsteps on the ground. 

Trust the Doctor to make an entrance even when his audience couldn’t actually see him. Blaine imagined his father springing out of the Tardis with hands outstretched. He might have even taken a bow, for all Blaine knew. 

“Happy graduation day, boys! Hard to believe you’re official college graduates, as well as lawfully-wedded husbands now!” the Doctor cheered. 

“Thanks dad, but is there any way we can take these blindfolds off now?” Blaine pleaded. “Or are you actually going to make us wear them for the trip, too?” 

“Who said anything about anyone going on a trip?” replied the Doctor as he went behind Blaine to untie his blindfold. River must have done the same for Kurt because he felt his husband let go of his arm. Blaine opened his eyes to discovered the Doctor was holding out a key, which couldn’t be Blaine’s copy since that one was in his wallet. 

Grinning, the Doctor tossed the keys to Kurt, who managed to catch them in spite of never having liked sports. “Hold on, does this mean what I think it means?” Kurt blurted out. 

Kurt had taken the words right out of Blaine’s mouth. 

“If you’re thinking that we’re giving you the chance to go on your own solo journey with the Tardis, then yes, Kurt, that’s it exactly,” the Doctor nonchalantly replied, as if it was no big deal. 

But it was a very big deal. What the Doctor was offering was no simple gesture; the Tardis wasn’t the family car. No one but River got to take the Tardis for a spin, and at the beginning, she had only done so without the Doctor’s knowledge. The amount of trust his parents must have in him (and in Kurt) rocked Blaine to his very core. The Tardis gave Blaine and Kurt the ability to spend years away from their lives on earth; they could go anywhere--at anytime. There was no telling what trouble they could get into, or what harm they could cause to the fabric of time with their actions. 

Over the past four years, Blaine and Kurt had gotten a taste of what traveling in the Tardis with the Doctor and River was like--except they never went long or far enough for it to affect them too much. Their short trips were awe inspiring and left Blaine wanting more, but he still looked forward to heading back to class and to his friends there. The fact that he and Kurt had managed to graduate at the top of their class proved how they had managed to stay grounded. 

“You’re letting us go on our own? Seriously?” Kurt asked. 

“I have never been more serious.” The Doctor glanced back at the Tardis and smiled. “No more sticking to earth and the present either. I’m giving you full reign.” 

Full reign. There wouldn’t be any safety protocols in place then. Wow, this was insane! Blaine swayed on his feet as the realization hit him. “Dad, are you sure?” 

“Completely,” the Doctor replied immediately. “You and Kurt are ready.”

“We trust you honey, the both of you. I know you’ll make us proud,” added River as she touched their shoulders. 

Tears welled up in Blaine’s eyes from the chance his dad was giving him and Kurt. Overwhelmed with emotions, Blaine rushed into the Doctor’s arms and hugged him with all of his might. “Thank you.” There weren’t enough words in the English dictionary to express the profound gratitude he felt. “You just gave us the entire galaxy, dad.”

Kurt demanded his own hug and traded places with Blaine so River could give her son a good cuddle. Laughter mixed with tears of joy were shared all around; Kurt kept saying ‘thank you’ repeatedly between his loud sobs. 

“But what about you two?” Blaine asked when they were all somewhat recovered. “Won’t it get boring being stuck on earth for so long?” They could share it and trade off their treks into space, but what if he messed up and missed the correct time? Blaine was horrified of missing whole years of his life on earth due to an unforeseen miscalculation! 

“We’re quite sure, and don’t worry about any potential time mishaps,” River said, somehow knowing her son’s fears without him having to voice them. “Why do you think we grilled you on getting the time specifications correct for the past four years?” 

Blaine blinked. “You mean, you’ve been testing us?” 

“And you had no idea,” the Doctor said. 

“I sure didn’t,” confessed Kurt, who had a sheepish smile on his face. 

Neither had Blaine. 

“You’ll do just fine, and so will your mother and I.” The Doctor gave Blaine an encouraging punch on the shoulder. “This has been a long time coming for all of us.” 

“But you’ve been traveling so much lately. Won’t you miss the thrill?” Kurt asked. 

River smiled. “We might now and again, but we’ll be too busy to miss much of anything in a matter of months, eight months to be exact.” 

When neither Kurt, nor Blaine seemed to get what River meant, the Doctor placed a loving hand on River’s stomach. “It seems that history is repeating itself for us,” he announced. 

“You mean, you’re pregnant?” Kurt asked, gasping with delight. 

River nodded. “Yes. Blaine is going to have a baby sister to fuss and fawn over, and you as well of course, Kurt.” 

“Oh, my god! Congratulations!” Blaine cried again as he hugged Kurt’s shoulders in attempts to contain his joy. It wasn’t working too well. Minding River’s stomach, the two young men went in for a tackling group hug that put the prior one to shame. “I can’t believe it! I’m going to be a big brother! Me!” Just when he was getting used to the idea of being a husband, Blaine was given yet another big change to wrap his head around. 

River, finally released from the hug-fest, cast a playful glance at the Doctor at her side. “They still don’t realize what we’re giving them, sweetie.” 

“I had hoped they would have caught on by now, but they have had an eventful two weeks. Now we’ve dropped yet another bomb on their heads, and we’re not even done yet.” The Doctor took Kurt and Blaine by the hands and lead them over to the Tardis; once there, he laid a loving hand on his faithful time machine. “I’m not merely lending it to you and Kurt for your honeymoon. I’m giving it to you, not permanently mind you, but for at least the next eighteen years I reckon. That should be more than enough time for you two to have your own share of adventures.” 

The amount of shock and surprise Blaine had already been through that day did nothing to prepare him for what was the biggest one of all. Rendered speechless, Blaine’s hands covered his mouth as he tried to say something! Kurt was a little better off as he broke out laughing, and hugged Blaine around the waist. 

“I’m…” Blaine took a deep breath; Kurt’s face was pressed against his cheek. “I’m going to do everything in my power to uphold your legacy, dad. I’m going to make you proud--we both will.” 

The Doctor smiled. “You already have, by more than you’ll ever know.” 

“Does this mean I’ll be your faithful companion and you’ll need to choose some iconic name to go by?” Kurt asked with a playful smirk. 

“I like Blaine, so I see no reason to go with anything else.” Blaine kissed his husband on the cheek. “And you’re not going to be my companion, you’re going to be my partner, love.”

“Kurt and Blaine Hummel-Anderson out in the universe. I can already imagine the legendary tales we will hear about you two while I’ll be knee deep in diapers and telling our new addition bedtime stories about her amazing big brother Blaine and his equally fabulous husband Kurt!” the Doctor explained, winking at the pair.

“Meanwhile the biggest challenge I’ll face is everyone assuming the baby I’ll be pushing in my pram is my grandchild,” River said. 

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “There will be no such thing, and if there is, I’ll be there to set the record straight.” With the matter dealt with, the Doctor turned his attention back to Kurt and Blaine and completed handing over of the Tardis. He reached into his tweed jacket and produced two rectangle shaped objects. “Time for the big send off before we all start crying again. I have two more gifts to bestow, courtesy of the Tardis!” 

Blaine accepted one of the devices; it appeared to be an impressive looking smartphone (the likes of he had never seen before). There was no recognizable looking brand name, nor did the usual passcode or thumbprint lock screen come up when he touched the screen. Turning on in a flash, the icons were far from usual either; there were ones for scanning, searching tools, a gps, and others he wasn’t sure what they could be for. The biggest difference was the Gallifreyan writing over the back case that even the Tardis couldn’t translate. 

“Is this…” Blaine muttered as he started touching on various icons. 

“Sonic mobiles! Wait until you see the apps I’ve created to help you both on your travels,” the Doctor announced. “And you’ll be able to call home whenever or wherever you may be, and don’t worry about the batteries dying on you; I tied their power sources directly with the Tardis.” 

“All this and no more monthly phone bills? Just when I thought this gift couldn’t get any better,” Kurt said, beaming with excitement. 

While Blaine and Kurt were busy marvelling over their new smartphones, the Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver into the air and pointed it at the top of the Tardis. With the flick of his wrist, the light on top of the time machine began to pulse in time with the music that was coming from the Tardis somewhere. 

“I thought I’d make the Tardis a bit more trendy for the new young-age demographic that will be piloting it from now on,” explained the Doctor, who was already grooving to the beat on his own. 

Blaine recognized the song straight away; it was ‘Rocket Ship’--the Girls le Disko remix version to be exact--by the band Shiny Toy Guns. The lyrics were nearly taylor made for Blaine and Kurt’s current scenario (minus the rocket part). The catchy beat, along with his dad’s embarrassing dance moves, were too infectious to ignore, and soon Blaine was dancing along. 

Kurt soon joined in and swung Blaine around by his hands. 

“We must look like fools,” Blaine shouted over the music. 

“Dancing fools!” the Doctor corrected. 

Kurt grinned. “We certainly have a lot to party about.” Shimming away to the beat, Kurt began to dance up a storm. The adorable show went on for some time, until suddenly Kurt came to an abrupt halt. In an instant, his smile changed to a worried frown and he remained frozen in what appeared to be growing panic. 

“What is it, love? What’s wrong?” Blaine asked, hurrying over to his husband’s side. 

“It’s my family, Blaine.” Pacing back and forth, Kurt threw his hands up in the air in a dramatic fashion. “How in the world am I going to break it to them that you and I are going to be traveling alone through time and space for god knows how long?” The fact that Kurt was rambling showed how agitated he was becoming. “Knowing my luck, my dad will have another heart attack the second I finish telling him!” 

Blaine understood Kurt’s concern. It didn’t matter that Burt, Carole and Finn had learned about the Andersons’ true origins over the summer either--this new turn of events was still a big deal. How would Burt react to the idea of his son being open to so many unknown dangers?

“Where are they all right now anyway?” Blaine asked. 

“They’re out sightseeing in London. River and I planned on joining them once we saw you two boys off,” the Doctor explained matter-of-factly. Touching Kurt’s shoulder to get him to stop pacing, the Doctor offered his son in law a comforting smile. “Don’t fret Kurt; River and I spoke to Burt and Carole about everything weeks ago. They had some justified concerns--more for your well being than anything else--but in the end, and after much discussion with us, they both agreed you two are old enough to do this.” 

“Because they both trust you as much as we do,” added River with an loving smile. “Burt said he’ll be all right as long as you make regular visits.” 

“Thanks, the both of you.” Kurt’s smile was back. “I’ll call my dad soon so I can tell him and Carole the same.” 

With the potential family crisis happily avoided, Blaine and Kurt were ready to head on their jolly way. They’d already cried enough, so there were no more teary-eyed farewells. The couple simply walked hand in hand into the Tardis and that was it. They were off. But Blaine couldn’t end things there, so he popped his head out through the Tardis doors to give his parents one final wave goodbye. “Don’t wait up, and be sure to call us when the baby arrives!” 

“Bon voyage, boys!” River called out, waving them off. 

The Doctor jumped up into the air with his hands cupped in front of his mouth. “Show the universe what you’ve got!” 

Chuckling, Blaine shut the doors behind him and surveyed the scene before him. He was in the Tardis along with Kurt; they were on their own and ready to travel out amongst the stars. Endless possibilities awaited them, each one more remarkable and exciting than the next. 

“So,” Kurt said from his spot leaning against the railing of the Tardis. They would need to change the desktop setting to something more their style, that was for sure. “Any idea where we should go first?” 

The decision should have been difficult, but amusingly enough, Blaine knew the perfect place and time. Nodding, he waltzed over to the control panel and put in the necessary coordinates and time period. It wasn’t difficult to set up, thanks to his parents’ teachings, and because he had the information memorized already. 

“I happen to know that the fifth Earl of Highclere Castle is throwing quite the party…” Pausing for effect, Blaine brought out the physic paper his dad had given to him four years ago. “And I do believe we’re both on the guest list.” 

A flirtatious grin spread across Kurt’s face as he slowly made his way over to where Blaine lay in wait. The next thing Blaine knew, he found himself with his back pushed up against the console, and he had to move his arms to keep from accidentally pressing any buttons. Kurt fluttering his eyelashes was the only warning he got before his husband kissed him full on the mouth. 

Kurt eventually pulled back from their heated embrace and stroked Blaine’s face with his hand. “Blaine, you had me at castle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is it! The end of the story! Big thanks to my beta, who helped me turn this story into something readable. It’s been a long journey but it’s finally finished. 
> 
> There was no point to mention it in the epilogue but for those who are curious (SPOILERS) Blaine’s little sister’s name is (or will be from their perspective) Harmony! I think it fits. 
> 
> I wanted to post a link but the exact remix mentioned in the epilogue appears to be too obscure to find to listen anywhere. So my apologizes. Here’s a link to the original mix, which is almost as good, the remix one just has a bit more beat to it lol. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9djb9-M4xCE
> 
> Now while I have no plans to write a sequel (so far) there is more story to tell. If anyone who enjoyed this story has any prompts for this verse please put them in a comment. Who knows. I may just right them. I do have a couple one off ideas I might get around to writing. So if there’s a part you’d like to read about let me know. For example, when the Hummel’s and Anderson’s first met (which happened over the summer), Kurt and Blaine’s first Christmas (that was fun), or any future adventures of Kurt and Blaine traveling (I have one half idea of them meeting a past doctor) lol, the sky's the limit when the Tardis is involved!


End file.
